The Trials of a Demon
by Tokumei Raita
Summary: The trials determine which of fifteen suitors will become the next king of Fiore and the husband of the born heir through a series of tasks and events, both physical and intellectual, as well as emotional. Never had anyone expected to see a demon compete. Nalu AU.
1. Chapter 1 - Application of a Demon

**Yes, I'm very inconsistent. I should be working on other stories but I have writer's block for Targeted and I have a bunch of plot ideas on my tablet, this being one of them. I'm finding this one much easier to write anyways so I may be a little more consistent with this one.**

 **Anyways,**

 **I do not own Fairy Tail.**

The Trials of a Demon

Chapter 1 – Application of a Demon

oO0*0Oo

A _beautiful_ girl with a _shining_ crown and a _gorgeous_ dress hummed a _delightful_ tune as her _stunning_ heels crossed the _magnificent_ carpet which adorned the _striking_ hallway in a _breathtaking_ castle part of a _wonderful_ country, _alone_.

oO0*0Oo

Lucy strolled down the corridor, passing several maids which she greeted individually, not missing a single one. After each of the small waves and short hellos, her frail, gloved hands returned to the front of her dress, clasped together in a proper position as her closed-mouth, gentle smile rested in silence, only opening again to greet another.

She felt a tug on her gold locks but she did not feel alarmed or displeased, but instead calm and thankful. "Royalty mustn't go roaming around with a single hair out of place." Ms. Spetto lightly scolded as she tucked a loose strand back into the elegant bun.

"Thank you Ms. Spetto. To think it's been 18 years under your care and I still need your assistance." The blonde giggled, earning a delighted and pleased smile from one of her oldest maids. "I won't be going anywhere, so take as long as you need. I can only hope I will stay of use to you for years to come." The elder responded with a smile unseen by the blonde who had her back turned as the maid proceeded to pullout a circle pin from her own bun, letting a portion of grey fall loose, and securing the younger's.

"There will never be a time when I won't need you, who would accompany me in the castle as mother and father work?" Lucy retorted as she turned to face the maid who had shown a sad smile. "I'm afraid your free time will be cut short. The trials are not far away and soon a man of your choosing will be the one to stand by your side instead of myself and the other staff. Soon, you shall take on the duties of your parents alongside another of whom I'm expecting I get a small say in?"

"I will of course take suggestions and opinions from many, including yourself." Lucy told her, knowing that it would be one of the most difficult decisions in her life and she absolutely needed some extra help for it. She knew one thing only about the opinions of the maids and butlers – they would choose for _her_ and not the country.

"Are you prepared for your meeting with your father?" Ms. Spetto asked concerned.

Lucy nodded hesitantly. With maids like Ms. Spetto, she didn't try as much to force confidence or joy as she knew they could see right through it. However, the maids were unable to do much about the evident false happiness of the princess, though they did all they could from the sidelines with supportive words and small actions. The maid delivered a comforting pat on the back and offered a knowing smile in which the princess openly accepted. With that, she went on her way, continuing down the corridor.

oO0*0Oo

She tried her best to hide the painfully anxious feeling behind a composed smile. She had succeeded of course, it was part of her position as the princess after all, but it didn't prevent the feeling from worsening as she watched her father straighten one of the several towering stacks of papers, stapled in groups of five. Her breath caught as she finally met his eyes that shared the same shade of brown as hers. Her mother sat beside her with a gentle and steady expression but she knew that, along with most of the royal family's expressions, it was fake.

But there was no commoners watching.

It was forced for her and her only. They had yet to say a word about the papers on the coffee table before her but she knew. It had been the talk of the country and beyond the borders as well as what had kept her up for many nights before.

 _Application Day_

"In a few minutes, the last of the applications will arrive. Shall we go over today's task in the meantime?" The king asked his wife and daughter. The two, seemingly identical women except for the queen's more mature features, nodded in sync, leading to a loud throat clearing from the man.

"Lucy, it is application day, the first stage of the trials in which we have our first look at the applications sent in from the different regions. There are far too many to cover in one day, so, as usual, our top advisors have picked out the absolutely unacceptable ones to save time. You are to do the same. Those you see as unfit for the position as king and your husband, you may discard. We shall be assisting you to hurry it up. During the second stage, I will form my top list and you will finalize the decision. Then it is the public announcement which you shall begin preparing for."

She felt the feeling deepen, causing a faint feeling but her body did not sway and her eyes remained determined. There would be no time for slipping into unconsciousness as days fly like seconds in the castle. There was too much to do.

Three heads turned at the sound of a knock and a door creaking open, revealing a servant with the final stack of applications nestled in his arms to his obvious discomfort. The young servant scrambled towards the coffee table, laying down the load next to the others before scurrying out the door as fast as he entered.

"Perfect, so we may begi-"

"King Jude." A voice called boldly. It was disrespectful to interrupt the king while he was speaking so who was it that dared to do so? They had once again, looked towards the previously reopened doorway, now presenting the figure of a different servant, one a bit older than the last. He rushed up to his leader with what Lucy presumed to be another application, in his right hand.

Following a few minutes of incoherent whispers, her father had snatched the stapled package from the boy's hand, scanning the front page, then the next, and the next. It wasn't until he had passed the standard contract for the trials, which transitions into the personal information section that King Jude reacted.

Both women of the Heartfilia family jumped, letting out small gasps as the paper was thrown roughly over and across the table, followed by the palms of his hands. It shook the table, tipping over the queen's cup of tea and the tower of applications, turning some of the clean white into faded yellow.

"How…" He began, spitting the word out as he grit his teeth. "Jude?" Layla asked cautiously, her voice trembling. It was unlikely for her spouse to act out in such a way, she had only seen such occasions a few times but none had occurred in front of Lucy.

"HOW COULD A DEMON ENTER THE TRIALS?!"

.oO0*0Oo.

"NATSU, GET THE HELL OUT OF YOUR DAMNED HOUSE!"

The red haired man known as Igneel, around his late 50s, kicked the door for the millionth time that morning. At one point, he had resulted to chucking lawn decorations from neighbouring cottages. However, the owners were angered enough that he woke them up and had begun throwing household items of their own.

"YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

The pinkette peered out of his bedroom window at the front of the cottage, two stories up from his adoptive father. He ducked back in just in time to avoid a rock that collided with the wall. He, in turn, tossed a small stool out his window, landing it near the older man's feet where it crashed and dispersed into a series of flying wood chips and awaiting splinters.

The harsh bickering had gone on for hours, receiving shouts and complaints from the other residents who lived within a short walking distance from him. "I AM NOT GOING TO THAT STUPID PAPER DAY!"

"APPLICATION DAY YOU IMBECILE!"

"WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"

"GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND WE'LL GO BUY A DICTIONARY ON THE WAY!"

Natsu muttered no words of protest but instead returned to the window, preparing to throw something else. The object, which appeared to be a thick book, landed dangerously close to Igneel's toes, forcing him to jump back a bit to avoid losing his ability to walk properly. Glancing downwards, he could read the title clearly, which he had done before scowling at his son.

"ALREADY HAD ONE."

"THEN USE IT FOR ONCE!"

He sighed in frustration. Not ready to deal with the younger man's stubbornness. "IT AIN'T SO BAD! SHE'S A BEAUTIFUL GIRL!"

"THEN YOU MARRY HER!"

"IT'S JUST AN APPLICATION!"

"I DON'T CARE, YOU'RE NOT TRAPPING ME WITH A BUNCH OF SURFACE SNOBS!"

"I SWEAR I WILL BURN THIS WHOLE ENTIRE HOUSE DOWN!"

"BURN ME WITH IT!"

Subtle hints of his dragon-like nature was evident in Igneel's voice. The loud and low, raspy sound of a dragon's growl mixed with the stern, yet caring voice of an annoyed father rang through Natsu's ears. In turn, he growled back. It was obvious that they were father and son, maybe not by blood, but they were practically the same, save for appearance.

"I just want you to try! It's not like it's certain the royal kingdom will choose you!"

"Then what's the point?!"

"The point is that it _could_ happen!"

"NEVER!"

"YOU'RE HORRIB-"

Something blue and fluffy collided with his face as sharp edges of what felt like nails clung into his head, scratching. He pulled off the clinging object, in other words, his son's most recent projectile household weapon. "Happy?" He asked the cat he recognized in his hands. Happy tilted his head adorably before leaping out of his grasp, lazily resting his feet.

"YOU THREW YOUR CAT AT ME?!"

"I'M OUT OF CHAIRS!"

"HAPPY COULD'VE DIED!"

"LIKE I WOULD MISS!"

Again, he groaned. "I didn't want to have to do this…"

"Do what?!"

"I'M HOLDING HAPPY HOSTAGE UNTIL YOU COME OUT!"

"Like you can contain Happ- WHERE DID YOU GET A CAGE?!"

"I thought this would happen!"

"YOU KNEW I WAS GONNA THROW HIM AT YOU?!"

"YEA! 'CAUSE YOU'RE JUST _THAT_ PREDICATBLY STUPID!"

The window slammed shut. Igneel smirked upon hearing the shuffling and steps within the house, volume escalating slowly. The wooden door fell to the ground, revealing a teenaged pinkette with an extended foot in the air. He looked furious and frustrated.

It was his fault for throwing Happy.

.oO0Oo.

 **Aaaaaaaand done.**

 **Shorty for the start.**

 **I'll upload the next chapter as soon as possible.**

 **If you are familiar with the Selection series by Kiera Cass, this story will be similar in various ways, however without castes and I will be using different events. The concept of the competition is about the same-ish but everything else, I'm going to, or at least try to, make it different.**

 **That's all for this chapter.**

 **Till next time.**

 **Ja ne!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Acceptance of a Demon

**I have so many chapters drafted for this story but they're not in order.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

 **Anyways,**

 **The Trials of a Demon**

 **Chapter 2 – The Acceptance of a Demon**

.oO0Oo.

A _beautiful_ girl with a _shining_ crown and a _gorgeous_ dress hummed a _delightful_ tune as her _stunning_ heels crossed the _magnificent_ carpet which adorned the _striking_ hallway in a _breathtaking_ castle part of a _wonderful_ country, _with two._

.oO0Oo.

Lucy's breathing was shallow and uneven as her body shook. Despite that, her practised expression and smooth movements never faltered. It was as if she had no worries at all. Ms. Spetto stood on her right, a step or two behind her, as one of the castle advisors and organisers led them straight to the source of her nervousness.

"You look truly amazing, Miss Lucy, an example of pure elegance and class at its finest." Ms. Spetto complimented as usual, but it was true, even Lucy could admit that. For events such as this, it was expected of her to dress her absolute best. She must _dress for the crowd_ , a phrase more familiar to her than 'dress for the queen'.

With a delicate and rehearsed smile, she responded, "The work of the team never fails to impress me."

The small talk and the pain of her heels could not ease the anxiety she felt. Turning several corners, it only worsened, knowing that they weren't far. Alas, they arrived at a set of double doors on the 10th floor. Behind it and below, stood thousands of awaiting people.

Beside it were her parents, each seated in their own respectful waiting chairs. They both offered her a kind and comforting smile, which she returned. "Are you ready?" Her father asked.

She nodded.

.oO0Oo.

"All hail the king!"

A chorus of the same sentence echoed throughout the court. The guard took a step to the side, allowing Jude himself to step forward, face nearing the microphone, signaling the crowd to quiet down.

"People of Fiore!" He shouted, waving in a royal manor. "Roughly a year ago, my daughter was declared eligible to host the 76th trials upon her 18th birthday. With the… unfortunate and dreaded turnout that I'm certain you are aware of, it was called off early, within the second month. Our country shall never forget that tragic incident."

The people were dead silent as they listened on. Lucy bowed her head in respect and in pain from the memory. How could things have gone so wrong?

"Despite that, I am not getting any younger. This country cannot go without both a king and queen to rule. For this reason, with Lucy's consent, we will host the 77th trials!" The crowd erupted in cheers and shouts of excitement once the statement was made. It was only minutes before Lucy had to present the list.

"I, your king, would like to welcome you to the reveal and confirmation of the contestants participating in this event. The decision has been made and finalized by the princess herself. I now call upon my daughter, your future queen, Lucy Heartfilia!"

Lucy struggled to seen confident and powerful. Her decision was difficult, but she upmost decided what would be best for her country. The contestants didn't spark much interest, though that was something she was hoping to develop upon meeting them, but they all made excellent leaders. She looked out to the excited and hopeful people that put their trust and lives in her. Once again, she smiled her pratise smile and waved to them.

"Hello everyone." She started. "I know most of you, if not all of you, are not here for a long speech about the difficulty of the decision or the apologies for those unchosen, so let's get right onto the list, shall we?" Cheers and claps filled the packed space. Jude and Layla smiled proudly at their daughter's excellent public speaking skills. As they both sounded formal, Lucy was always so casual and charismatic with the crowd and the people adored her for it.

"Unlike usual, this year, I will announce the name before their sponsor. There is a reason for this, mainly for effect in all honesty. Without further ado, I bring you this year's trials' fifteen suitors!" She paused to let their cheering die down.

"Sting Eucliffe, from Sabertooth.

Lyon Vastia, from Lamia Scale.

Ren Akatsuki, from Blue Pegasus.

Rogue Cheney, from Sabertooth.

Gray Fullbuster, Fairy Tail.

Hibiki Lates, Blue Pegasus.

Mest Gryder, Fairy Tail

Dan Straight, Legion Corps.

Jellal Fernades, Crime Sorcière.

Laxus Dreyar, Fairy Tail.

Eve Tearm, Blue Pegasus.

Freed Justine, Fairy Tail.

Rufus Lore, Sabertooth.

Gajeel Redfox, Fairy Tail."

The crowd clapped, but not as loudly as they soon noticed she had only named fourteen. She sighed before she continued, afraid of how her country would react and what they would think of her. She only prayed they would heed her explanation.

"I know you are all thinking about the fifteenth contestant, and there is a reason I saved him for last. You see, a while back, maybe 10 years now, the previous king had officially given rights to demon kind. He had given them freedom and the ability to share land with us. He had hoped that the people would be able to accept the changes in society, and many have, but there are also some who have not."

People were confused and curious. Why had the princess suddenly change the important and main topic at hand? They simply didn't know but were soon to find out.

"The reason I have pointed this out is to remind you that human and demon kind have equal rights to this earth. For that point, I have allowed a specific contestant to compete in the trials this year.

The fifteenth suitor participating in the 77th royal trials is,

Natsu Dragneel, from the Demon Realm."

She knew they wouldn't see eye to eye with her, but what she didn't expect was how fast they rejected the idea. They yelled and complained, screaming about how outrageous and insane she must have been, shouting profanities. It surprised her how fast and how easily your people can turn their backs on you. But she refused to be unheard.

"Please, please, let me explain my decision. Though I know you may not agree with human/demon equal rights, but it is a law that was decided long before my coming. It is beyond my control and this is the first time a demon had applied, it would be sinful of me to dismiss him for his being. Going against the law as the princess and forcing demons back into a position below humans is a definite cause for war. We coexist now, and you'll have to live with my decision, because I'm sure as hell not changing it."

Even Jude and Layla were surprised by their daughter's tone and confidence. That was one of the main concerns about Lucy's future title as queen. She had yet to stand her ground and prove to the people her confidence and strong beliefs. That's what she just did, isn't it? That's what got the people back on her side, isn't it? That's why they were cheering her name, right? Right.

She managed to get a demon into the trials with the people's approval.

Lucy Heartfilia would make a great queen.

But could a demon be king?

.oO0Oo.

"NATSU WE ARE NOT DOING THIS _AGAIN!"_

"OH YES WE ARE! YOU SAID I WOULDN'T BE CHOSEN!"

"I SAID PROBABLY!"

Natsu was absolutely mortified. He was certain that he wouldn't be accepted into the trials, but then he heard the princess say his name via lacrima vision. Needless to say, his small lacrima projection screen was the first of several objects to be thrown out the window today.

"YOU OWE ME!"

"FOR WHAT?!"

"WELL I DON'T KNOW! MAYBE, _RAISING_ YOU!"

"I'VE ALREADY MADE UP FOR THAT!"

"BY DOING WHAT?!"

"GRACING YOU WITH MY AWESOME PRESENCE!"

More and more household items flew by, just missing his head.

"WHY DO YOU WANT ME TO GO ANYWAYS?!"

"I WANT GRANDCHILDREN!"

"IT'S NOT UP TO YOU OLD MAN!"

Igneel finally had enough. He growled loudly, making the teenager shiver. That growl could only mean one thing…

The sound of cloth ripping and wind blowing filled the clearing in the woods. Sharp tipped, fiery red wings sprouted out of the man's back, rather painfully or so it seems, tearing his shirt. Red scales climbed his neck, fading around his cheek and temple, leading into his hair line. Red locks covered the base of the two horns atop his head. He shot up at an inhuman speed, perching himself on his son's open window, gripping and cracking the frame with his bare hands.

Only one word could describe the familiar and terrifying sight.

 _Demonic._

Needless to say, Natsu packed his bags the next morning without protest.

.oO0Oo.

 **Aaaaaaaand done.**

 **This was a sort of filler chapter.**

 **I love the contrast between Lucy and Natsu's lives.**

 **Either in the next, or the next next chapter, the two different kinds will meet.**

 **Till next time.**

 **Ja ne!**


	3. Chapter 3 - Arrival of a Demon

**I realized that all my chapter titles begin with an A, including this one.**

 **That will change soon.**

 **Good job if you've already noticed the chapter trend.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

 **Anyways,**

 **The Trials of a Demon**

 **Chapter 3 – Arrival of a Demon**

.oO0Oo.

A _beautiful_ girl with a _shining_ crown and a _gorgeous_ dress hummed a _quiet_ tune as her _stunning_ heels crossed the _magnificent_ carpet which adorned the _striking_ hallway in a _breathtaking_ castle part of a _wonderful_ country, _with a guard._

.oO0Oo.

"The guests have arrived, Miss Lucy. Are you prepared to meet them now?"

"Indeed, Capricorn."

Said servant walked her down several corridors. It had been near a month since the announcement of the contestants, and now, the people she had met through filed paper were in her home. She was terrified to say the least. Then again, who wouldn't be after the previous trials?

Capricorn halted his movements, stepping aside for her to continue on upon reaching the grand staircase that proceeded down into the foyer. The quietly exchanged words and small talk could be heard from where she stood.

"Are those my guests I hear?"

"Princess Lucy!"

She smiled down at the group of boys, recognizing them from the photos and their applications. Carefully lifting up her dress skirt, she descended down the carpeted marble staircase, curtsying as she reached the bottom. Many of the boys bowed in turn, actually all of them did, almost immediately, though she couldn't help but notice the boy that stumbled and glanced at the others before mimicking them, confused.

She giggled at him. She knew who he was, and she wasn't afraid of him like most were. She was thrilled to meet him, he would surely liven up the trials. The pinkette was not only the last to bow, but the last to rise. He growled in self-disappointment, already knowing he was clueless about manners.

"Ah, welcome to my home. I hope you'll enjoy your stay here during the trials. The guards will take your things to your rooms in the west wing, as I will be staying in the east wing. You'll each be having your own rooms, so need to worry about roommates. Feel free to look around a little while, but I suggest you stay close to this area since you've yet to memorize the layout of the castle. I expect to see you back here at 3:00 for our first trial which is the simplest yet one of the most important ones, that being your first impressions."

She had a smile on the entire time, though honestly, she dreaded the first impressions. She knew they were going try too hard to be perfect and she wanted everything but that. She wanted to see what's beyond their kingly attributes. It's common that the contestants often forget one of the vital parts of winning the title, which was winning her heart.

She curtsied once again before whispering something to the guard and striding down one of the long hallways, fading into the distance. It was silent between the group, though everyone's eyes were glued to the direction of the retreating princess.

Natsu didn't like silence, it bothered him.

He ignored the awestruck group and decided to walk down a different corridor. The place was so elegantly decorated with precious stones and light, pale colours that were so different from what he saw in the realm. He couldn't tell if he enjoyed the light or if it blinded him a little. There were several doors and scurrying maids that cleaned up nonexistent messes, making sure everything was nice and presentable for the new guests. He nodded and greeted the maids who bowed in acknowledgement.

"Jude, I know you're worried, but give the boy a chance. Lucy was right about the equality law after all. Plus, Lucy has the people on her side, I don't know how but she got them all to agree, well most at least."

"I can't just sit here and wait for my daughter to be insulted and shamed because she let some _devil_ in the trials! We should have never let the decision up to her."

"It was not a choice, it is rule. The heir always gets to finalize the applications. Please Jude, just let him stay, we wouldn't want to cause trouble with the demon realm. I haven't heard any screams or explosions like you feared, so I don't believe there is anything wrong with his presence in the trials."

"If he tries anything, he's to be thrown out. I'm worried for her."

"I know, so am I."

 _Well it's good to know I have her father's blessing_ Natsu thought sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. Day 1 and there's already demon discrimination. He glanced at the large clock that was propped up on the white wall at the end of the hallway - 2:55. Deciding it was about time to head back before he was late. He turned on his heel and traveled back the way he came.

You think he was gonna get lost? Nah, that's cliché.

Demons had excellent memories and absolutely great sensory skills. He could smell the other boys' nauseating cologne and hair products from anywhere in the castle, mainly because they use so much. He retraced his footsteps before he found himself back in the foyer, awaiting instructions.

"A demon, eh?" He heard someone say slyly. "What could a demon be doing in the castle?" Natsu turned to look at the speaker. Sting Eucliffe of Sabertooth, as annoying as he is cocky. Behind him stood Rouge Cheney and Rufus Lore, both from Sabertooth as well. He scoffed as he saw this coming. There were people out there who would never accept demon rights, and it just so happens that one was in the trials, maybe more.

"I was accepted, just like floppy hat and one eye." He told them blandly, referring to Rufus and Rogue who both fiddled with said attributes, Rufus playing with the rim of his hat as Rogue pushed his bangs away from his face. Sting was simply unimpressed. "Do you seriously think you stand a chance with the princess?" He asked him. "Obviously, since unlike you, I actually know how to get a girl." Everyone was now intently listening to their conversation, the first piece of drama in the trials started the first day, and it would surely cause a riot if the people knew the demon was involved.

"You're only here because that stupid rule about equal rights. She wants to stop a war and she needs a man like me to do that." Sting was barely even a man, he had a decent build but he looked far from manly. "Well, she has 14 boring suitors here and needs a _demon_ like me to live a little." Natsu retorted. Sting was taken aback as he had no comeback. Thankfully the wait was over and he didn't need one.

"Princess Lucy is in the tea room. We'll be sending you in one by one to each make a first impression. She will ask you questions, and you have to answer. She doesn't have to answer any of yours. This will be your first chance to impress her." A red haired, female guard instructed. She had an intimidating voice and glare as she spoke, letting them know that they were not to cause trouble or face the consequences. "I advise you to not mess up or risk leaving the castle upon the first elimination round."

With that, she turned her head to another woman who didn't seem like a guard, nor a maid before sharing a nod. "When Ms. McGarden calls your name, follow me to the tea room. You each have a few minutes or until the princess deems she's heard enough."

The smaller girl held up a clipboard and pencil. "Ren Akatsuki." She called. The dark skinned man with darker hair approached the guard who led him down a hallway, disappearing from the group's sight.

.oO0O.

He entered the room and a wide, childlike smile broke out on her face. The past three introductions were bland and unexciting. She waited patiently for his turn. She's never communicated with a demon and was rather interested in him in general. He had a toothy grin which soon twisted into a look of terror upon receiving a hard glare from his guide guard.

"Erza, leave the boy be. I've been awaiting our talk, please stall no further." She said sweetly causing both the guard and the demon to look at her. Erza nodded as Natsu gave a sheepish smile. He knew he was off to a good start if she was purposely waiting for him to arrive. Hopefully it wasn't something she had said to the others.

"Take a seat, Mr. Dragneel." She suggested, gesturing to the couch across from her, separated by a coffee table that held a pot of tea and two tea cups already filled.

"Call me Natsu, princess." He said while leaning back into the comfy cushion of the couch possibly more expensive than some of the houses he's seen. "Only if you call me Lucy. I've never been accustomed to my title so I'm grateful for your causality." She thanked. She was already filled with excitement. He was so comfortable and normal, something she's rarely ever been.

"Without a doubt, I've been most thrilled to meet you." She said with wonder-filled eyes. He raised a brow at her. "Hm? Usually it's the contestant who's excited to meet the princess, not both." He pointed out, careful not to make it sound as though he wasn't interested in meeting her.

"Are you kidding me? You're a demon! I've never met one in my whole life, especially one that had the guts to apply for the trials!"

He smiled at her oddly positive opinion on the matter since her father had quite the opposite. "Nice to know you like me best already." He said, chugging the small amount of drink in the tiny cup. He placed back on the table rather forcefully though not enough to break the cup. She flinched at the sound and action, unused to such informality and improperness.

"Oh sorry, was that rude?" He asked. Simply reading the question could be imagined as rude and sarcastic, almost sassy, but it wasn't at all. His voice was genuinely curious and sort of worried, as if afraid that she would send him back home right away. "No, no, it's fine. I don't really mind, I'm just not used to seeing such behaviour. Just, try to avoid doing that in front of my father, he isn't as interested in you as I am."

Well wasn't that obvious?

"So Luce, any questions?" He asked casually. She smiled at his regular tone, not at all forced or fake. It was such a simple sentence that made her heart race. He was the first person to show her what it's like to be treated normally. Ill-mannered people weren't so bad, they seem a lot more fun than the proper suitors.

Then it hit her.

"Luce?" She asked. "Such a short question, now how am I supposed to impress you with that one?" Pink coated her cheeks. He was so easy going and smooth when he talked. But so were many of her suitors. Something about him made her feel lively, maybe it was because he was completely different from them, he was a demon after all.

"It's a nickname, but that one's something only I can call you. Feel free to tell off the blonde brat if he tries to steal it."

A nickname. Never had she received one. She liked it.

The slight protectiveness over the nickname made her blush.

His courage to insult another contestant carelessly made her laugh.

His smile made her smile.

"May I ask who you're referring to?" She said with a few giggles following after. He liked her laugh, he wanted to hear it again. He enjoyed making others laugh and smile, it means he made them happy, he liked happiness. It took him a moment to answer the question. "The one that sounds like a part of a bee. Wing? Stripe...?"

"A bee? Oh! You mean Sting Eucliffe!" She exclaimed. He nodded in disgust. "Bee, Floppy Hat, and One Eye seem to have a problem with me, but it's normal for a demon to cause a little trouble wherever they go." She laughed at his childish nicknames, despite failing to identify who they were. "Well, next question, I'm sure I've had you in here quite longer than the first few, I'll leave you as an exception." He nodded, waiting for his next chance to impress her.

"Is your hair naturally pink?"

I don't think he'll ever get that chance.

"One, it's not pink, it's salmon, much more manly and awesome." He said playfully. She giggled at his response. "Two, yes it's natural." He finished. She examined his pink locks before subconsciously reaching out to touch them. Confused, he did nothing but sit there. Once she reached him, however, he leaned into her small hand, enjoying the feeling of being pet. He let out a small sound of pleasure that sounded between a dragon's growl and a cat's purr.

He was part dragon, dragons like being pet.

She seemed shocked and paused at his reaction before continuing her motion. He was like a pet. He smiled, eyes closed, as he rubbed his head against her hand. It wasn't long before she laughed. He stopped at the sound and stared at her, disappointed that she retracted her hand from his head.

"I didn't expect demons to be accustomed to being pat on the head. It's adorable actually." She said in a fit of laughter. He could be offended, but he wasn't, basking in the sound of her voice. "Ok, ok, last question before I must move onto the next suitor. Why did you apply for the trials?"

"Easy one. When I see something pretty, I go after what I want. Just so happens that I saw you on T.V, now here I am."

She blushed heavily.

"Well Mr-, uh, Natsu. Thank you for this. You are dismissed." She mumbled, not truly wanting him to go. She knew she would subconsciously compare the rest of the suitors' impressions to his. She also knew they wouldn't be as carefree and natural. They wouldn't be as smooth as him either.

"I look forward to talking to you again."

Congratulations Natsu Dragneel, you've successfully made a good first impression.

He walked out with a triumphant grin. The red haired guard looked dumbfounded as she watched him look proud of his time with the princess. His interview went well, he impressed the blonde beauty, Erza couldn't believe it. But she smiled, she wasn't against demons, she was just so surprised how someone from the lower levels of society so easily impressed someone as poised and perfect as Lucy, the literal princess of the country.

She truly had an unusual boss.

She proceeded to lead him back to the foyer where the others awaited their turn or awaited the results of someone after them. They looked shocked at his exceptionally happy expression. Sting simply scoffed, not believing he could've done well enough to be so proud. Natsu didn't mind any reactions given, he was simply reliving his time with Lucy in his mind. He came here thinking that she would be something a lot worse, but he could never be so wrong.

This wouldn't be so bad.

 **Aaaaaaaaaand done!**

 **Longer chapter, uploaded the same day as the previous.**

 **Lowkey emailed the draft from my tablet that I wrote a while ago.**

 **YAY HE'S AT THE CASTLE NOW!**

 **I had the first three chapters preplanned in my head so the fourth could take a bit longer.**

 **I'm on it though because it's a four day weekend.**

 **I'll say it now if I don't upload another chapter this weekend.**

 **Happy Easter!**

 **Till next time.**

 **Ja ne!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Dinner of a Demon

**GAH DON'T KILL ME**

 **I'M SORRY I'M LATE**

 **Actually, no one has been pressuring me…**

 **YOU'RE THE BEST!**

 **Thanks for your reviews! Means so much to me!**

 **Glad you're enjoying it.**

 **I do not own Fairy Tail.**

 **Anyways,**

 **The Trials of a Demon**

 **Chapter 4 – The Dinner of a Demon.**

.oO0Oo.

A _beautiful_ girl with a _shining_ crown and a _gorgeous_ dress hummed a _quiet_ tune as her _stunning_ heels crossed the _magnificent_ carpet which adorned the _striking_ hallway in a _breathtaking_ castle part of a _wonderful_ country, _with fifteen others._

.oO0Oo.

Shortly after the last suitor had finished his first meeting with the princess, they were all informed that at a later hour, they would be heading to the dining hall for their first meal at the castle, accompanied by the royal family. The guards were sent to retrieve each from their own personal quarters and gather them at the end-of-the-hall intersection.

Lucy greeted them all profusely as they arrived, offering a calming smile and formal wave. When all had gathered, she led their way, guards on either side of course. She had given them rights to freely speak to her as they went, however, some remained stiff and silent, too afraid and paranoid to make a casual approach.

That said, Natsu couldn't be any _more_ casual.

The angelic sound of her giggle caught them all off guard, including the actual guards. It was not a common sound in the castle as there was not much of a reason to laugh. Her right hand immediately covered her mouth in a proper position. She didn't dare throw her head back or obtain a bad posture in front of her suitors, despite the difficulty to resist. No one ever had an interesting, abnormal story to tell around her home unless it was an old fairy tale, but he seemed to be full of them.

"A blue cat?" She asked, supressing her oncoming giggle, "Named _Happy_?"

He seemed genuinely thrilled that she was entertained. As she found this peculiar, any demon would consider it the norm. He liked getting a positive reaction out of someone. "Yup, he's been with me since I was 7yrs old. My second in command. I threw him at my dad once. Right out the window. He grabbed onto his face and gave him a hassle like a real soldier, but, you know, a cat."

"You threw him out the window?! What if he got hurt?!"

"I never miss and my old man's got some speed. Nothing bad could happen to the little guy on our watch. He's fine." Natsu assured her. She visibly relaxed, which he took note of as it hinted her soft spot for animals. He could guess why. "Never had a pet before?" She shook her head. "I've always wanted a dog though. Preferably a white Samoyed puppy. I'd name him Plue."

"Plue?"

"Happy?"

"Touché."

They shared a laugh, enjoying their simple, easygoing conversation, but of course, it wouldn't make sense to let another suitor steal the spotlight. To the others' surprise, Sting had chosen to follow up on Natsu's earlier statement.

"Is your cat naturally blue?" He had suddenly asked, catching both the princess' and the demon's attention. Sometime during their mindless chatting, he had matched their pace and walked alongside the two. Natsu let out a small scowl due to the interruption, but it seemed that no one had noticed to his relief. "Yes, Happy is naturally blue."

Attention was sent back toward him in which he shrugged, "What? You don't have colourful cats here?"

"On the contrary, my cat is a solid red. I don't mean ginger or subtle either." Sting had answered. Lucy seemed to struggle with dividing her attention evenly, turning her head back and forth between the two boys who were sending signs of war through competitive glares. It was comical how fast their faces morphed into one of interest and peaceful as she moved her head. She couldn't have been more thankful upon spotting their destination, her poor neck was beginning to twinge.

The gold-rimmed, oak double doors were shut and guarded, like all rooms in which the entire royal family would be in at one time. She sent a nod to both guards before standing in the middle of them and spinning on her heel to face her guests.

"Before we step in, I would like to say a few things. My parents and I openly welcome you to dine with us but this is not your table. I say this because what happens during meals does matter, that includes manors and appropriate language. Habits matter more to my father than to myself, though keep in mind, his opinion is important to me. If I hear anything that makes me lose my appetite, you've made a mistake. No one wants to hear it while eating so save it for yourself."

They laughed at her adored relatability and light hearted nature, but it couldn't ease the nervousness they all felt. Most already knew what was to come by the end of this meal.

"While you all prepared yourself for our first meal together, I had designed a seating arrangement for everyone. Don't go complaining about it. However, as the trials proceed, seating will change. Sorry to create a bother, but you'll be reading a lot of name cards in the future."

On cue, the two guards pushed open the doors in sync, revealing the massive dining hall. The red walls and gold décor accented the room amazingly, creating an elegant and classy mood. In the centre of the hardwood floor was a long, wood table with matching cushioned chairs lining it. Candles and vases of bouquets ran down the middle of the perfectly crafted piece of furniture. To finish the room was a large chandelier hanging above as the main source of light.

Natsu stared in awe. He thought his room was glorious, but it didn't hold a candle to this. His once open jaw shut immediately once he spotted the king and queen seated at one end of the table. As their two chairs were positioned at the far end, only one was at the opposite.

They all bowed, but this time, he nailed it. He was a fast learner and quick to catch on. He gave himself a mental pat on the back for remembering. As expected, Lucy took a seat on the single chair opposite to her parents', the others following suit, searching the name cards for their own assigned seat. He did the same, taking his rightful position in between a raven haired boy and-

"Floppy hat?"

"Demon?!"

The pinkette flinched, "Geez, so loud…" he complained. Rufus cleared his throat, glancing around to check if anyone was staring. "How could I be put next to you?" The blond spat, causing the source of his disappointment to shrug. "I thought for sure that she would keep me away from you Sabertooth guys after I told her about the foyer incident."

"You told her?!"

"Quit yelling!" He hissed, holding his sensitive ears. "Well sorta. I told her you guys had a problem with me but I laughed it off. Didn't want to spend too much time talkin' 'bout you three." Rufus looked horrified but Natsu didn't seem to have a clue why. Whatever it was kept 'Floppy hat' quiet for the remainder of the meal.

He turned his attention to the raven haired boy who he couldn't remember the name of. He was from Fairy Tail, Natsu knew that at least. It was a small town on the outskirts of the Magnolia area with a big reputation. Whether it was good or bad was debatable, depends what kind of person you are. It was said that the citizens were total weirdos, and he had finally realized it was true. The proof was in the boy's actions.

"Uh… dude, did you mean to unbutton your shirt. You know the princess isn't looking, right?" He pointed out as the boy's hands released the last button on his white collared shirt. After a moment of processing, he reacted, letting out an unmanly squeal and pulling the fabric closed, encasing his exposed chest. He muttered a quiet thanks as began buttoning up all over again.

"No problem Stripper."

"I'm not a stripper!" He retorted, offended. The pinkette only shrugged with an oblivious expression, "Don't know your name."

Natsu had absolutely no idea how to react when the boy's hand stretched out toward him, "Gray Fullbuster." The suitor introduced. Thinking he understood and it was a case of the other's stupidity, he forcefully curled Gray's fingers into a fist before he bumped his own to it.

"What was that?"

"Fist bump."

"But why?" Gray asked dumbfounded. He was clearly going for a handshake. "What do you mean why? What else was I supposed to do?" Gray looked curious before he came to a realization. "You've never shaken hands before…" He assumed, Natsu's twisted face of confusion confirmed it. "Shake… Hands? Like this?"

The sound of the palm meeting a forehead was all Natsu heard.

Gray didn't know whether to laugh or to groan in disgust as Natsu randomly flailed his hand. Was he not clear enough? "Stop… stop that, whatever you're doing."

"I'm shaking my hand." Natsu stated matter-of-factly.

"Just stop." Gray begged, "No more." He complied, obediently returning his hand to his side. "Humans and their weird traditions…" He mumbled, not understanding his mistake.

Of course, down in the realm, Natsu would've ignited his palm and shook Gray's wrist, but he wasn't that stupid. Surfacers, or humans in other words, can't light themselves on fire on command, so he assumed that it would be better to refrain from burning his competitors. Not only did Gray ask for a wrist burn, but he wanted it on his hand. He didn't understand human customs, but he doubted it mattered.

Lucy, who had been discussing the dinner plans with the guards briefly, finally reached her designated chair, four away from his own. Between them was Gray and the three contestants from Blue Pegasus he recognized from lacrima projection channels, know to him as Playboy One through Three. A subconscious pout formed on his lips, assuming he had did something wrong or had failed to surpass the others seated closer to her. Besides, they didn't get to finish their conversation since _Bee_ had to interfere.

As she sat, Jude rose, a crystal clear wine glass in one hand, a teaspoon in the other. "Attention please." He called, despite the lack of noise. The fifteen boys were not accustomed to chatting with their competitors. "I would like to say a few words before the meals arrive. One, it is an honour to meet you all, what fine men you are. I hope you have time to enjoy your stay here, which we will provide however, I recommend you keep your focus on the trials .Two, congratulations! You all fit the description of a king, a great one at that. Lastly, a toast! To the trials and my lovely daughter, Lucy, whom will find love and happiness with one of you."

A chorus of "Cheers!" followed by the repeating sound of glass clinking signaled the servants to enter, bearing several covered dishes. Natsu's face visibly brightened as the aroma hit his nose, only to intensify when the plate was laid before him, eliciting a small moan of delight. It took a lot of him to hold back once the cover was lifted, revealing five large sushi rolls, much too big to be classified as mere maki.

Despite the inside contents being unidentifiable, it looked divine. Each piece wrapped to perfection in a smooth, gold leaf and topped with identical amounts of caviar. Three Mikimoto pearls placed directly around the centre on each, complementing the small diamond resting in front of the food. It was absolute-

"You're drooling." Gray informed him suddenly, breaking his train of thought, "It's just sushi."

"I'd beg to differ, Exhibitionist. This is no simple piece of sushi, this is a perfected delicacy! I've only ever heard about such a heavenly creation from the media. Crafted with only the finest of the finest, _by_ the finest of the finest. In other words, it is _not_ 'just sushi', it is _art._ "

Lucy's delicate giggle caught him off guard, his head snapping towards her as a reflex. He had thought for a second that she was laughing at his praise for the meal, feeling a rising blush of embarrassment. After realizing the truth, he found himself wishing that was the case. Instead, her eyes were trained on the boy to her left, three chairs away from him.

He could barely pick up their conversation with the boy next to him barking about his second nickname for him. He held up a tan finger to silence the now tieless contestant next to him. The finger then rotated to poke him in his (thankfully) clothed chest, "You said you weren't a stripper."

"-really did that? You don't seem like the daredevil type, Hibiki."

"Well you fit _my_ type perfectly."

Hibiki Lates, otherwise known as Playboy One in Natsu's mind. A well-known boy and one of the three representatives of Blue Pegasus. Natsu didn't know they let players into the trials, it was a competition involving love, something a guy like him could never understand.

He couldn't tell whether Lucy was affected by the pickup line, returning to the plate of art before him. Using the provided chopsticks, he carefully lifted the roll into his mouth rather than devouring the whole dish at once. It was just as astounding as the aroma and semblance.

The five roles were gone within minutes.

.oO0Oo.

Natsu's body threatened to enter a food coma after dessert. He had a voracious appetite 24/7 and was rarely satisfied with enough food, like all demons. However, the remarkable flavour made up for the lack of content.

As he was basking in the glorious memory of his meal, the others looked tense, and he had no idea why. Maybe it was because he had never watched the past trials via lacrima vision.

Lucy rose from her seat, her once warm and cheery smile replaced with a stern and firm expression. She sent a nod toward her father, who in turn, rose as well, both heading toward the exit.

He waited until the large door shut behind them to speak. "What's happening?" He whispered to Gray. "You don't know?" The other asked back, genuinely surprised, but then again, this was the boy who didn't know how to shake hands with another. Natsu shook his head, feeling a twinge of panic arise within him. "It's the first-"

The doors reopened, exposing the two. A softer, sympathetic look took over the harder one, though the intimidation never wavered. Her father, on the other hand, had something short of a scowl. A look of disappointment, but utter defeat. It seemed that they always forget about his heightened senses.

"Are you sure about _him_?"

"Indeed father, he is to stay. I've made my decision for tonight."

"I don't-"

" _You_ don't need to trust him, only _I_ do."

They never once said the guy's name, but he sure had an idea. It was fascinating how different the man and his daughter were and how differently they see situations. Alas, Lucy showed off that magnificent smile.

"The first day, the first trial. I assume you all want to see your progress?" She spoke clearly and cheerfully, voice never wavering. For the final time that night, the servers marched in and swooped away their plates, hauling them back into the kitchen.

On the table, sat a numbered card.

He stared at it intently, reading the printed number _10_ centred on the decorated and fancy, black and white paper. He didn't want to jump to conclusions and risk large disappointment, so he didn't dwell on debating whether his number was good or bad.

"I take it you've finished reading your card? If you haven't, I'm concerned about your chances of becoming king." She joked lightheartedly, instigating a series of chuckles from her suitors, "In any case, the number is worth no value alone, it is what it represents. Well, that number is your score for the first trial, the maximum being 10…"

 _He aced it?!_

"… .5. If you're questioning the reasoning for this scale, know that it is to remind you that you cannot only perfect something, but you must surpass anyone's expectations. _Every point counts._ There is no such thing as an endgame tie in the trials. For a single trial, yes, you may receive identical scores, however, only one can be king. In the end, a 10.5 beats a 10.4. Meeting expectations and surpassing them are two different things. To relieve you of your worries, no one had received a perfect score."

He felt his tension drop. Half a mark off wasn't too bad, and considering Floppy Hat and Stripper's scores, 8.7 and 9, he was doing pretty well. However, despite the high scores his neighbours received, they were still stiff and anxious, much to Natsu's confusion.

Lucy's expression began to waver, now showing hints of apprehension. Subconsciously, her hand went to fiddle with her charm bracelet, decorated with mini keys, each with a different sign. For the first time ever, he saw her vulnerability. "I assume you know what is to come after the first meal of the trials…" She announced, her voice just a tad quieter but he could tell.

"It is time, for the first elimination."

 _The first elimination._

The demon broke out in a cold sweat, now understanding the fearful looks of his competitors. The trials was an event that went on for a year minimum. With only fifteen contestants, he was sure that elimination rounds were decently spaced out and required a complex thought process where multiple aspects were taken into account. Yet here she is, stating that someone was to leave on the _first_ day. All they've done was talk, how could anyone mess up that horribly?

"When I call your name, please step forward."

.oO0Oo.

 **Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand done.**

 **Long chapter this time, yet a filler.**

 **I honestly had no idea what to write about for this one so I dragged it out.**

 **I want this fic to be long so I'm trying to find ways to extend it and hold off the rest of the fourteen eliminations.**

 **I have a few ideas that could last a few chapters, but I'm not throwing them in right away.**

 **That's all.**

 **Till next time.**

 **Ja ne!**


	5. Chapter 5 - Maid of a Demon

**MY DEAR, I'M SO LATE.**

 **I had a project on Confederation and I had to handwrite five news articles on different factors that contributed to it.**

 **I HAVEN'T UPLOADED IN FOREVER, I'M SO SORRY.**

 **On a side note, how evil am I?**

 **Not telling you who got eliminated.**

 **Mwahahaha.**

 **Review responses at the end, but only a few.**

 **You know I don't own Fairy Tail.**

 **Anyways,**

 **The Trials of a Demon**

 **Chapter 5 – Maid of a Demon**

.oO0Oo.

A _beautiful_ girl with a _shining_ crown and a _gorgeous_ dress hummed a _quiet_ tune as her _stunning_ heels crossed the _magnificent_ carpet which adorned the _striking_ hallway in a _breathtaking_ castle part of a _wonderful_ country, _with fourteen others._

.oO0Oo.

Truthfully, he couldn't _see_ the difference in size of the group, but simply _knowing_ there was one less than the day before made fourteen seem so little. He thought surpassing fourteen, pesky proper humans would be a long journey, but considering they were one down in a day, he couldn't help but think that the trials would be over within minutes. The hallway suddenly felt so empty compared to last night.

The dining table was not any different.

Breakfast was an awkward experience, he could only assume that the others bore the same feeling due to last night's elimination. To pour salt in the wound, he was sure the other suitor wouldn't be bidding his goodbyes for a while. Any sense of accomplishment or safety he felt with his blasted number 10 vanished.

It was just so unexpected. He was sure that he felt the same way.

.oO0Oo.

It was strange to say the least, seeing her supposed apposite suitors, one being the future king, dressed in something so _normal._ She was aware of how they would be dressed, but actually seeing her fourteen remaining contestants clad in informal outfits of their liking and choosing had a greater effect on her view of them than she anticipated. It gave her an idea of their own personal tastes.

Some just didn't agree with her own.

Lucy had never stepped a foot out of her room in anything short of a designer, flouncy dress, but she knew commoner style well and what she would prefer is she ever got the chance. They all had distinct fashions, none wearing a simple plain tees.

Some lacking a shirt in general.

Her eyes befell upon a certain pair of contestants, instantly shooting away at the sight. She had granted them freedom of choice, allowing them to wear whatever they felt was most comfortable for physical activity, but this was beyond inappropriate. Soon enough, the pinkette had tapped the darker haired boy of the two, whispering something to him. She couldn't hear them exactly, but it caused the shirtless boy to jump and scramble around.

A small giggle escaped her lips as she let her eyes circle the field. The head guard stood proudly in front of the group, holding a clipboard, checking off the last of the names after finishing her roll call. Pulling a sheet from her board, only to reveal another, she turned to the blonde.

"Princess, will you be observing today?" The guard asked. On a usual basis, she would address her by name rather than by title, vice versa, but showing such insouciance in public may cause complications. "Indeed, Miss Scarlet. I hope you don't mind, I'll just be off to the side. Though, I'm not one for the physical score sheets, if you're fine handling it alone, it would be greatly appreciated."

With a single nod, the scarlet haired guard blew her ear-piercing whistle, calling all the boys to the track. "Alright men! This is the first of our training sessions together. Though this is not a trial, you will still be receiving marks and judgement that contribute to your progress and could get you those few points you need to stay in the competition, so don't slack off. Every Monday at 9:00 sharp, we will train."

A hand shot up, a questioning, yet nervous look decorating the person's face. "What is the point of training sessions in the trials?"

She gestured him to come forward, leaning into his face as he complied. "Well," Erza started, "you want to be Princess Lucy's husband and this country's king, no?" The boy, she recognized as Lyon Vastia, nodded slowly. He too, was shirtless, but instead of raven, he had pale blue, maybe silver hair. "In that case, there are three things to protect, aren't there?" She moved back, hopping on top of a wood bench, now speaking to them all.

"Yourself, Fiore, and Lucy."

A smile crept onto the Princess' face. Erza, unlike many others, remembers that Lucy is more than a simple judge in the trials, but the soon-to-be queen and bride of the winner. Lyon fell silent, no other daring to complain about the sessions. "Let's begin! Ten laps around the track, faster you get them done, the sooner and longer you can rest. Chop, chop."

Throughout their whole run, she kept her eyes trained on first place. He had a peculiar taste in clothing, she noted, but it suited him nevertheless. He sported a scaly white scarf, an article she had just realized he never took off, even in the application portrait image. It now adorned a long, one-sleeve, black overcoat with gold trimming.

The torso was closed, though as it passed the belt that held it in place, the fabric was opened, revealing a pair of loose, white capris with black cuffs tied at the end, matching his open toe sandals. She questioned if it was truly a comfortable and practical workout outfit or just his casual, everyday style.

Either way, he could pull it off.

He had completed the ten laps rather hastily but not with an excessive amount of speed as she thought a demon would possess. In the end, he still finished above the others, just not by as much as she foreseen. It was a little disappointing as she had heard of the astounding physical abilities of demons, but with the lack of speed, came overwhelming stability.

Second place had finished the warmup not too long after, though he almost fell to the floor in exhaustion. The pinkette however, was still brimming with energy, looking ready to do a second set of ten. Not a drop of sweat glistened on his forehead, unlike the following finishers.

Lucy watched as he never stopped moving, a smart idea indeed as it is better to slowly come to a halt rather than cutting off your movements immediately after going for a long and fast run. He lowered her pace, going from a run to a slow jog over to the bench where he began to walk, in place. The horrified faces of the other suitors as they watched him continue his movements made her giggle.

He flashed her a smile as he finally stood still, lowering himself onto the wood bench, watching the rest of his competitors struggle. One by one, they reached their stop, dropping in front of the head guard who gave them a disappointed scowl.

"Go easy on them Miss Scarlet. It's only their second day." Lucy told her, putting a calming hand on her shoulder. She sent a smile to the tired, aching boys on the ground, then to the early finishers on the bench.

Erza gave them less than 10min to recover, returing to bellowing over their groans of protests and pain. "If I don't see you up on your feet and ready for the second warmup, you're losing two points for this session." She threatened, managing to get them back up but not standing straight, most hunched over and panting.

"Let's get back to work!"

.oO0Oo.

They were absolutely exultant to finally be set free from the death trap that is training with Erza Scarlet. A frightening woman that guard is. Gray rubbed his sore legs as he sat on his bed. With a sigh and a jolt of pain throughout his body, he rose, deciding to shower before meeting with the group again. His hands met the waistband of his sweatpants, preparing to slide them off but a feminine squeak stopped him.

"Juvia is sorry!" The blunette maid choked out through her embarrassment, "Juvia didn't know you have returned."

Gray cocked his head to the side, confused. "You're like my personal maid or whatever, right?" She only nodded, head in the palms of her hands. "In that case, I'm taking a bath. Have a clean, pressed suit ready for me." He instructed, "Oh, I don't really know how this works but I need another tie, lost my other one."

He scratched his head, obviously puzzled by his own misplacement. Juvia made no effort to reply, only peered through her fingers at her assigned contestant who had carelessly thrown his pants off somewhere, grabbing his towel. She could only wonder if he was truly comfortable changing in front of a lady, maid or not, or if he still believed that her eyes were covered. The part of her with human decency demanded her fingers to return to their original position, blocking her sight, but she found it hard to stop staring.

Gray, not really noticing the flustered servant, casually retreated into the bathroom, only in a pair of boxers. The door slammed shut and Juvia's hands dropped, revealing her bright red face, body still not moving from her spot for another minute. Shaking her head, she rushed toward his closet, pulling out a dark blue dress shirt, deciding not to pick out a tie. She added a black suit jacket and pants, arranging them on his neatly made bed.

She moved out of the room hastily upon hearing the tap turn off and the bathroom doorknob twist, knowing he didn't bring any clothes in with him, hence her having to select them for him. He looked over it a couple of times, a smirk gracing his face. It matched his style perfectly, including the lack of a tie. He really didn't want to lose another one.

She was standing outside his door when he opened it, fist raised in the air as if prepared to knock. Blinking away her surprise, she examined his outfit. It suited him well as she had anticipated, but it wasn't exactly how she wanted. Without a word of explanation, she unbuttoned the top third of his jacket and the top two buttons of his shirt, popping the collar. It gave him a sort of mysterious and relaxed, yet still professional look. Messy, but formal, and it looked much better. With a smile, she nodded at him, proud of her work as Gray shot her a look of appreciation which she accepted gradually.

They'd get along fine…

Maybe better than just _fine_.

.oO0Oo.

The moment Natsu returned to his quarters, he too, decided to shower. They had to meet back in the foyer in an hour. Unlike the other suitors, ache and fatigue failed to affect him due to his demon-like attributes. He hopped in the shower, feeling fully rejuvenated after the refreshing wash.

He hadn't come in first for all of the training events, but he never came last either. He had his strong points, but they had _horses_. Thankfully, other competitors had the same issue with the dreaded rideable animals that he had – motion sickness. However, his lack of aching muscles gave him that small boost he needed to beat his fellow suffering suitors. Shivering at the memory, he turned off the shower head, grabbing his towel from the rack.

Carelessly walking into his room with a mere towel covering his lower half, a shout of surprise echoed through the vicinity, shocking himself. His head whipped toward the girl by his dresser, a hanger clutched in her palm as a look of mortification spread across her face. It soon morphed into a heavy blush, quickly hidden by the suit jacket she buried her face in.

"The hell?!" He cried, staring at the unfamiliar white haired maid before him. She had short hair and either blue or green eyes. He only saw them for a split second before she stuffed her face in a piece of clothing after all. "Why are you in my room?!"

"I'm your personal maid for the trials." She explained, peering up from her cover, only to duck back down. "Could you please get dressed?"

"You're blocking my closet…"

Noticing her mistake, she threw the suit jacket and a matching pair of pants onto his bed, landing messily on top of the white dress shirt that laid neatly on top of the covers. A red tie soon followed the suit, fluttering softly onto the pile. She turned the other way, facing the wall and not daring to look into the window in fear of seeing a reflection, but she couldn't help it as he eyes were automatically attracted to the blue skies through the clear glass.

It wasn't the only thing she was suddenly attracted to.

Her blush darkened as she had a quick glance at the boy's reflection. He was quick to change, his pants already on and his dress shirt partially buttoned, but he fumbled as he continued. Choosing not to help for the sake of her worsening blush, she just waited. His head suddenly turned toward her as hers quickly snapped away from the window.

"Not going to tell me your name?" He asked curiously and informally, surprising her just as it surprised Lucy. However, it was a nice surprise to both.

"Lisanna."

.oO0Oo.

 **Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand done.**

 **QUICK NOTE: I DO** _ **NOT**_ **HATE LISANNA. SHE WILL NOT BE EVIL** _ **BUT**_ **SHE MAY BE INCLUDED IN DRAMA FOR THE SAKE OF THE STORY.**

 **Review Responses:**

 _ **Guest: I just want to know, will there be a Maxon-America-Aspen thing going on?**_

 **I have an option for your answer. Either take a spoiler or wait. If you want to wait then you'll have to wait. Otherwise,**

 **SPOILER FOR THE STORY: Why do you think Lisanna is here?**

 _ **Loralie Gold Dream: Was kinda hope Natsu would tell Lucy the whole story behind his application but his nature as a demon was just as funny.**_

 **I will probably have him explain eventually. I'm using as many ideas as possible to extend the length of the story.**

 _ **Kaito1412: This is really nastu still have all his powers and can he change into his other form end**_

 **SPOILER: …you kinda just read my mind, but there's a lot more to it than just his demon form, it's what triggers it and why.**

 _ **To Various Users,**_

 **Thanks for all the support! It's well appreciated. I'm sorry for the slow updates and the cliff-hanger with no reveal, but it will come in soon. Maybe next chapter? Who knows…**

 **Till next time.**

 **Ja ne!**


	6. Chapter 6 - Present of a Demon

**Two weeks?**

 **Two months?**

 **Two years?**

 **How late am I?**

 **Very. That's all there is to say.**

 **Great apologies.**

 **My friend who knows about my account and my writing and all had also began to point out my lack of updates.**

 **I'm trying for chapter 7 to be up as soon as possible.**

 **Busy schedule.**

 **Anyways,**

 **Trials of a Demon**

 **Chapter 6 – Present of a Demon**

.oO0Oo.

A _beautiful_ girl with a _shining_ crown and a _gorgeous_ dress hummed a _quiet_ tune as her _stunning_ heels crossed the _magnificent_ carpet which adorned the _striking_ hallway in a _breathtaking_ castle part of a _wonderful_ country, _with thirteen others._

.oO0Oo.

"Is he almost finished?"

"Sir Dragneel said he will be here _in a few_ …"

"A few what?"

The guard shrugged, also coming short of an idea. Lucy sighed, looking around at the awaiting suitors. "I believe he was talking to someone," The same guard spoke up, "female, perhaps through a phone but it sounded as if someone was with him."

"I'm here!" The pinkette came running through the hall, wobbling as he tried to stop himself. She quickly dimissed the guard who bowed before scurrying off down the hallway Natsu had just came from. She couldn't help but stare at him, not knowing why she felt so self-conscious after what she was told.

She waved her hand, summoning an assistant to her side. It was the blue haired girl from the first impressions trial. "Boys, Ms. McGarden will be leading you to the dining hall without me tonight. Mr. Dragneel, I would like to speak with you, please stay back."

His heart jumped, knowing he screwed up. He tried to convince himself that one little mistake, such as being a tad late, wouldn't get him eliminated. It was only 5min, she wouldn't kick him out for that. She wasn't that strict, she just wanted to talk.

Then again, what had Hibiki done?

Hibiki Lates was a smooth talker and practically trained suitor, much more experienced with women than himself, but he had been sent home on day one. To this point, he still hasn't found out why.

Lucy waited for the rest of the group to get out of earshot, finally looking at him directly once they disappeared around the corner. He stifled a squeal, no longer seeing that practised smile, nor a genuine one, but she didn't look angry either. He could've sworn that there was a hint of rose on her cheeks. However, despite her gradually growing blush, she kept her ground and stared him down.

"Explain why you were 5min late for dinner rollcall. Honesty only, no hesitation or mendacities." She demanded, her tone not matching her expression in the slightest. She looked as though her voice would waver and sound soft, but she was anything but. It was like she was lip-syncing, and very good at doing so.

He sighed, knowing better than to disobey. "I was talking to Lisanna."

"Lisanna?"

"My maid." He clarified. So the guard was right, he was talking to someone, a female nevertheless. Again she felt self-conscious, racking her brain to remember her follow up question. "About what, exactly?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, "Introductions really, we just met. Am I not supposed to talk to her? She's my friend now, really nice girl." She flinched as he described her so carelessly. He was going on about another girl in front of the person he was trying to marry. How clueless was he?

"It's impolite to speak so fondly of another woman in front of the girl you're courting." She informed him, "You may have started off near the top, but the challenge is staying up there." She didn't know why she was slightly aggravated by the mere thought of having a suitor betray her, it was their choice, but she couldn't help but feel demoralised.

"I advise you to keep up, Natsu." She told him, proceeding down the hall, expecting him to follow. He should be worried or something of the sort, but he felt a twinge, just a twinge, of pride.

He liked the way she said his name.

.oO0Oo.

When he arrived at the dining hall, Lucy instructed him to go in without her. To his surprise, the other suitors were standing up rather than seated at the table. The second thing he noticed was that someone else now occupied the vicinity of his chair, only two empty seats left, but only one with a name card. He quickly positioned himself by his name which was now on the opposite side of the stripper and only two seats away from the end.

"Mr. Dragneel, so you've finally arrived." The king announced, "Since you are late, I will fill you in quickly. Lucy's 19th birthday is fast approaching and a party is to be held in the ballroom. Every single guest is not to be irritated in anyway, they are _all_ important figures in society. They will also serve as part of your next trial, a two-part trial to be exact.

"Part one will be to buy a suitable and impressive gift for my daughter and present it the night of the party. The guards will be taking you out to the nearest town tomorrow morning to purchase an item of your choosing. This will display how well you've gotten to know Lucy and if you have taken the initiative to communicate with her." Jude completed.

"Part two is to make a good impression at the party. My word of advice, do not neglect the guests and _never_ neglect my daughter. Divide your time and win over their opinions."

So Lucy was just turning 19. He, himself, would be turning 20 in a month or so, but still he had no idea what to buy a girl, human nonetheless, for her 19th birthday. However, he was sure he had the head start, after all, only the bee and himself actually had the guts to talk to her when she offered the time for anyone to speak.

She was raised to be the spitting image of perfection, maybe that's why she loved informal gestures and conversations. A funny, childish card would probably be a good idea, help her lighten up during her strict duties as future ruler of Fiore. Maybe he could print out a picture of Happy and make his own card, just to prove the furry fella's existence.

As for the main gift, Natsu Dragneel was heading to the pet store.

.oO0Oo.

"White Samoyed puppy?" The clerk asked, purely for clarification. Natsu nodded, snapping a finger with an elated expression, "Ah that's the one! Salmon- Mayonnaise…. Whatever you said, she likes that one."

The teen boy raised a brow, "I'm afraid we've only got one little one left-"

"I'll take him." The pinkette stated with a certain tone. "But he's a special little guy." The clerk protested, trying to explain but the energetic demon wouldn't have it. He slapped down a wad of cash, courtesy of the castle who funded their shopping spree. He received only a shrug as the boy disappeared into the back, returning with a small, little white doggy. For a split second, Natsu was relieved and overjoyed, but then he noticed the little spot of colour.

"Wait, why is his nose orange?"

Indeed, the fur surrounding and covering the puppy's nose was dyed a vibrant carrot colour. Not to mention, the little guy wouldn't stop shaking, but he seemed happy despite moving as though he had seen the most terrifying beast. Eventually, the dam broke and Natsu burst into a fit of laughter, startling the two castle guards sent to watch over him as well as the clerk.

"He's as weird Luce!" He exclaimed, "Perfect! Give him a collar." The brunette seemed utterly speechless as he watched the peculiar man, under the surveillance of two bulky, armed soldiers, clutch his stomach before swooping up the puppy in his arms. "What do you want to name him?" Natsu gave him a signature grin, petting the white Samoyed with confident eyes.

"Plue."

.oO0Oo.

"Natsu, why is there a dog here?"

Said pinkette looked up from stroking the fluffy fur of the accused pet to his confused maid. She seemed to keep her distance, her back close to touching the wall. Without a second thought, a grin broke out on his face as he lifted up the puppy, putting him on display, his fingers wrapped around the fluffy white stomach.

"This is Plue!" He exclaimed happily, obviously proud of his work. Said dog let out a small, abnormal bark, shaking violently even though his mouth was open in a grin to match his temporary owner's. For a minute, she seemed to be shaking just as much as the puppy. "Why is it here?"

Offended, he pulled Plue back into his lap, covering his ears, "Plue is a _he_ , not an _it_!" He retorted. She wanted to roll her eyes, but instead, she only cowered away from the blasted creature. "He's my gift to Lucy. She's always wanted a pet but she never had one, specifically a white Samoyed puppy."

Lisanna frowned, a little part of her wanting a gift as well. Being a maid was definitely not the most desirable job and gifts were not common. The Heartfilias treated all serfs properly and well, but she had never been spoiled by another or herself. A gift sounded nice.

"Lisanna?" He started, "Are you afraid of dogs?"

"Dogs, cats, birds, rodents, animals in general." She answered almost immediately. He was appalled, not in a million years would he expect a sweet girl like her to be an open puppy-hater. "You are the spawn of Satan."

"Coming from the literal demon." She countered. Adjusting his firm grasp on Plue so that the pet was trapped between his forearm and his chest, he launched himself from his seat on the bed, extending an accusing pointer finger. "Devils and demons are nothing alike!"

"The world would beg to differ."

He growled, preparing his ongoing list of differences between his species and the other. It was common for humans to compare them, but to a demon, it was like comparing a human and vicious, mutant bear. "Demons are better-er and way awesome-er. We are the civilized-est species on the planet. _Devils_ are lowlife, demon wannabes and by far the horrible-est and worst-est things ever."

"Demons also have terrible English." She laughed, "I suggest you work on that before the ball. The officials you'll be speaking with expect a well-educated and knowledgeable king to take over for his highness." He huffed, although he didn't truly understand all of her words. In fact, for majority of the information he was told by any resident in the castle, he had assumed and tried his best to piece words together for a full understanding. If anything, he picked out what he heard and went along with it.

She turned to him with a smile, "I'm going to help you." She said enthusiastically. Natsu only stared, still hugging Plue to his chest, "What?"

"I'll teach you everything you need to know to not completely flop the next trial."

He hummed, thinking deeply about it. He knew he needed assistance, but he hated accepting help. He was more of an 'I do things my way, by myself' kind of guy most of the time, unless it came to cooking.

Mavis help him if he ever tried to cook by himself again.

He didn't want to be sent home though, which meant sacrifices had to be made. No matter how much trouble he put his father through, he was enjoying his castle life and he wasn't ready to give it up. The only thing left to do was try. "Okay," He said, "let's do it."

"Alright!" She cheered blissfully, however, his wicked grin was slightly disturbing. He set down the dog, setting him toward her, "This way, you'll have plenty of time with Plue!" He extended his whole arm toward her, signalling the white puppy to attack. In turn, the puppy shot toward the girl, jumping around her and effectively making her fall so that he could lick her face. She grimaced when his tongue met her cheek, drool dripping to the floorboards.

"I'm only payed to take care of one dog, and it's not Plue!"

.oO0Oo.

After another rather uneventful meal, still seated a little too far from Lucy for his liking, in which he couldn't speak to her. Again, he was limited to making small talk with the stripper boy with a tendency to crunch on remaining ice in his cup. He rarely got time to speak with her now that she was usually late to the meals instead of walking with the group as she had party plans to attend to.

However, in the time being, Lisanna had taught him a little every night after dinner and between meals and training sessions, mainly about grammar and expanding his vocabulary. He had also practiced starting up sophisticated conversations with the white haired girl serving as random officials who would commonly appear at castle galas and balls.

On another note, he had also been working on his crafty card, although, Lisanna had advised him to buy a more appropriate card to present in at the trial and to hand in his homemade version privately to please both Lucy and her father who would surely reject the childish gift and deem it a failure.

Once again, curfew came and he had an early morning training session with the boys and the beast that is Captain Erza Scarlet and occasionally her team to spar with. She had dropped hints about sparring with other contestants at one point as well but not for a while and after at least one or two more eliminations.

Eliminations.

A word that haunted him. After the dismissal of Hibiki Lates, he had not once felt safe, save for the few times where he was completely focused on something separate or engaged so far into a conversation. With the king targeting him and the Sabertooth residents' discrimination, surly to bring down his reputation in their parts, he would never be safe. Lucy had final decision for almost everything, including eliminations, however her father was a big influence on the country and herself.

Bidding a goodnight to the white Samoyed puppy, he simply just stared at the ceiling on his back, one arm crossed under his head for extra support, until he drifted off under the plush comforter.

It wasn't until he was sound asleep, that the door creaked open.

 **Aaaaaaaaaaaand done.**

 **I'M LATE.**

 **SORRY!**

 **I had an exam and it's the end of the school year, work is getting crammed in.**

 **Summer is coming up so I'll have quite some time on my hands.**

 **I have no life, I'll have plenty of time.**

 **Till next time.**

 **Ja ne!**


	7. Chapter 7 - Bet of a Demon

**Ooooh this chapter's actually a decent length.**

 **I'm back and only half dead.**

 **I know I've made it pretty easy for Natsu so far in the trials, but it'll build up in time.**

 **People will be introduced.**

 **Things will be revealed.**

 **Stuff will foreshadow bigger stuff.**

 **All that jazz.**

 **Still not the ball chapter, sorry to disappoint.**

 **It's coming though and I have a number of people to include.**

 **I don't own Fairy Tail.**

 **Anyways,**

 **Trials of a Demon**

 **Chapter 7 – Bet of a Demon**

.oO0Oo.

A _beautiful_ girl with a _shining_ crown and a _gorgeous_ dress hummed a _quiet_ tune as her _stunning_ heels crossed the _magnificent_ carpet which adorned the _striking_ hallway in a _breathtaking_ castle part of a _wonderful_ country, _with two others._

.oO0Oo.

Layla sniffled after her third sneeze of the hour. Her allergies mysteriously skyrocketed in the past week or so, leaving her to constantly test different medications, none of which seemed to control all of the symptoms. Jude laid a hand on his wife's back in a comforting manor, however, his face only showed a scowl. "You know what this means, don't you?"

"Now don't go making assumptions Jude," she protested, knowing full well that he would begin accusing others that he wished to get rid of, most likely the demon. The older blonde wasn't one to speak, but she did have keen observations skills. She saw the liveliness of the boy and his radiating positivity that made not only her daughter, but some servants and other suitors around, including herself. Despite her husband's complete opposite opinion, she believed he was good for Lucy, and if tested and properly approached, kingly attributes may begin to surface.

In a way, she was rooting for him.

"Its fact Layla," He stated, "there's a mutt somewhere in the palace and he's tracking fur all over the place." She rolled her eyes, "Lucy, you're rather quiet today." She said, changing the subject toward her uninvolved daughter who suddenly snapped out of her concentration. "Oh, um, just thinking over the ball plans."

Her father chuckled approvingly yet calmingly, "Your head is in the right place, though know everything has already been sorted out and finalized. Relax before the party, would you?"

She shook her head with a brilliant smile. "No, no, not those type of plans. I've spent last night rethinking all details and making sure the guests were informed about the trial. It's just that, the gala will be broadcasted due to the trials. Should I be more concerned about my appearance? More than usual, that is."

Layla beamed, looking toward the king with hopeful eyes. He sighed, "I suppose, a week early wouldn't hurt."

Within seconds, Lucy's hand was in her mother's grasp. "Come with me Lucy, there is someone I would like you to meet."

.oO0Oo.

When Lisanna entered the demon's room, she was half expecting him to be sprawled out, still asleep, however, she would never had expected to be greeted with the crazed and horrified look he wore. His grip on her shoulders was painful, she felt as though he would crush them if she didn't calm him down. The problem was, she had no idea how.

"Tell me you have him!" He begged, shaking her violently. She struggled to response, her head swimming as he stopped. "Have who?" She growled dizzily. "Plue!" He shouted, "Tell me you have Plue!"

Surprised, she shook her head, her eyes almost as wide as his. "He's gone," he muttered, almost inaudibly but she managed. That didn't stop him from repeating himself though. "He's gone, he's gone, he's gone! Someone took Plue!"

His hands flew to his head as he attempted to squish it flat. He looked crazed, a complete wreck. "Someone took him? From your room?" He nodded vigorously. "You're sure he was taken? Maybe he ran off somewhere." With a single heated glare, a result of stress, she was silenced. "Plue is a puppy, _Lisanna,_ " He hissed, "He can't open doors. Am I an idiot to you?"

With his panic and her own confusion, she could barely think of any other excuse as to how Plue could've left the room. The windows were much too high for his reach and doors were all shut and checked by the guards during their rounds. "Can't you smell the kidnapper?" She asked, though she doubted he hadn't tried. "I recognize it but at least eight of them drown themselves in the same brand every day."

"Rollcall begins in one minute. To the intersection boys!"

Natsu perked up, lightening his grip on her shoulders, earning a sigh of relief from the maid, however, he didn't seem any less distressed. "You have to go. You can't be late to another meal."

"I have to find Plue." He countered, "I can't show up to the ball without a gift." Despite his protest, he still moved away from the girl, walking past her without another word as he hurriedly made his way to the gathering boys. She understood that he didn't have time for further discussion, however, that wasn't the only message he was trying to portray.

He wanted her to look for Plue.

Somewhere in this castle was a white and orange, furry creature, probably hunting its prey. The thought alone made her shudder. Even if she were to locate the mongrel, she doubted she would be able to capture him due to her fear. What if he attacked her and killed her and expertly hid the body? Tiny figures come with big secrets and she didn't trust the pooch at all.

Maybe it was better off running free and away from the castle. She couldn't have Natsu deliver the princess a murderer as a gift. Then again, there was also the probability of the mutt staying inside the building, killing off innocent servants and suitors, maybe even the royal family. She couldn't just let everyone die at her hands, and so, her fear had to come last.

The ball.

One room packed with hundreds, maybe a thousand, royal and important guests, not to mention the fourteen remaining contestants and the servants attending. If the puppy were to remain unfound, somewhere in the castle, that party could become a bloodbath.

She had to do something, she couldn't watch as the castle was massacred. That dangerous dog wasn't about to ruin everything she's worked for. She had to do it.

For the servants.

For the suitors.

For the royals.

" _For Natsu."_

.oO0Oo.

"Princess Lucy and Queen Layla are currently... _stylist selecting?"_ Freed Justine had questioned the blunette shortly after she had announced the reason for their absence at the table. Natsu blankly stared at the empty seat, mind still focused on the disappearance of Plue. The blunette scratched at her chin with her pointer finger, a bit of nervousness mixed with struggle on her face.

"Ano…" She muttered, "Queen Layla decided that, since the ball will be broadcasted, Princess Lucy must look her absolute best. In turn, the Queen had decided to deliver part of the Princess' gift early and allow her to choose a personal stylist before the proper age." She explained. She seemed shy, a quiet and simple girl at a social level much higher than the maids and butlers. Occasionally, she would join the group for meals, seated in Hibiki's empty chair, casually chatting with the Princess or with the suitors as the seating arrangement was changed every now and then.

However, they rarely stated her name, aside from the first trial in which, she was introduced as Ms. McGarden. She was close with the royal family but she had no social importance or role apart from announcing and informing. "In other words, they're hiring a stylist?" She nodded, thankful for the simplification. She pulled out her chair, still using the empty fifteenth seat, excluding the royals', rather than using Lucy's.

Breakfast was served and Natsu lifted his fork, prepared to dig into the plate set before him. Meals at the castle were practically made of his dreams and seasoned with fantasies, absolute perfection. Each plate had its own addictive aroma, one that masked the cologne of the other men. Lisanna had forced him to apply some himself on a regular basis claiming that his nose wasn't as amazing as he thought if he couldn't smell his odour.

However, it wasn't the glorious, sweet smell of maple syrup or the perfectly cooked pancakes that froze him. It wasn't the savoury and smoky scent of bacon or the spinach-prosciutto-white stilton gold cheese omelette that caught his breath in his throat. It wasn't the royal bloomer bread slathered in smooth maple butter that had him wide eyed.

It was the smell of a dog.

It was faint and fading, meaning the primary source wasn't in the room, but instead, something that had come in contact with Plue still had some strands attached. He silently tracked the scent that lingered dangerously close to the table. Whatever Plue had touched had been desperately trying to wash off the evidence. It was not enough to pinpoint, only leaving him with the general vicinity of the large dining table.

Feeling daring and desperate, he slightly leaned toward Gray, still seated by him after all these meals. As quietly as he could, he inhaled the wintery, cool-mint cologne the raven haired boy wore. He leaned toward his left, opposite of Gray and toward Rufus who hadn't confronted or insulted him since the first dinner, repeating the same action. His nose filled with the musky, strong smell which burned his nose. However, no trace of dog was evident in either.

"A battle scar?"

The voice was a little louder than the occasional volume used when chatting at the dinner table, causing everyone to face their direction. At the opposite side of the table, near the only royal male in the castle, was the speaker, a bewildered look on his face as he examined four thin lines on his neighbour's cheek.

The scarred boy looked smug and confident, bearing a smirk as he proudly displayed his healing injury. "Ah yes, an old thing it is." He said, playfully pushing it off with an appropriate hand motion. "How'd it happen?" Lyon Vastia asked curiously. Apparently the topic attracted more than just the suitors' attention.

"Yes, Mr. Straight, please do tell us." The eldest blonde encouraged. The crimson haired suitor's smirk grew as the king acknowledged him. "Oh please, just call me Dan." He allowed, proceeding after the royal nodded. "I come from a small village with a great deal of precious metals beneath our feet. Bandits would often attempt raids, all unsuccessful, however there was always a struggle to fend for our land."

At this point, even the staff were leaning in to hear the tale. Dan wold turn his head from time to time to show his scar to both sides of the table. "A lower branch of a high class organization had been ambushing any lone citizen, and soon enough, they had attacked. One of them had caught me but I was able to manage, getting away with only this scar."

There was a series of admiring sounds, courtesy of the suitors who had all seemed to believe his story. However, Natsu was left unimpressed, as was the blunette by the king. Swallowing a bite of pancake, it slipped before he could catch himself. "Lies." He stated blandly, washing down his meal with a respectable amount of orange juice.

Dan seemed offended, turning to scowl in the pinkette's direction, "How would you know, demon?" He hissed. With a simple shrug, Natsu carelessly went on. "I've been in a lot of fights, trained to treat my own wounds. I have sharp eyesight, even from this end of the table I can tell that wound is fresh, barely a day since it was inflicted, less actually."

Stunned, the accused suitor hesitated before staying silent. "You said a small village, correct?" Dan nodded, "Don't you come from Zentopia? I've been to the famous church before, wonderful city, took me a while to get passed the _high security_ clearance though. Your townspeople aren't fans of inhuman species, huh?" Natsu chuckled, and to his surprise, another followed suit.

"He isn't wrong." Ms. McGarden had informed, giggling at the mark on the boy's face, viewing it at a much shorter distance than Natsu. "That is no battle scar from years before. It's a fresh scratch. I may not be Wendy but I have read plenty of medical manuscripts, that there classifies as an animal inflicted wound at most."

The king's gaze switched between the demon, the girl, and the accused. He refrained from stating his own opinion, knowing that agreeing with one of his most trustworthy subordinates would also mean siding with the living form of the plague. However, supporting Dan would be idiotic as Levy McGarden was _never_ wrong. Along with a sip of his juice, he swallowed his pride.

"Dishonesty is not a favourable trait for a husband _or_ king to have." He reluctantly avowed. Dan scowled at the observant suitor, though his silent hatred went unnoticed and overshadowed by the equally observant assistant. "I may not have a demon's eyesight but I too, love to pick out the small details, Mr. Dragneel. Now, about that neck scar beneath your scarf."

Rather than shocked, he was riveted by the unspoken challenge. He had never met a human with the sensory skills to rival his own. Even amongst demons, he always had the habit of detecting the little things, whether that be a small wrinkle in someone's clothing or a tiny mishap in a lie. He wanted to see just how far he could push her skills.

"Well, may I propose a challenge, Ms. McGarden?" He asked mischievously. With a smirk, mirroring his own, she nodded boldly. "If you can guess how I got this scar correctly, you may choose a reward I can provide. If you guess even a slight detail incorrectly, it's my turn. I bet you I can guess when, where, _and_ how you obtained your job, information you have not yet revealed any hints about to this day to any suitor as far as I am aware."

"And if you win?" She questioned bravely. "If I win," he began confidently, "You arrange a day for Lucy and I." Surprised, she furrowed her brows. "And how do you suppose I do that?" She asked, "How do you know I could possibly control the princess' schedule?"

"Simple," he replied, "I've already figured you out."

.oO0Oo.

"Here evil spawn of Satan!" Lisanna called loudly through the halls. She knew full well that all servants were too busy to question her antics, the most they could do was send her a disapproving and confused glance. Thus, she shamelessly moved forward. "Here little devil!"

"Lisanna dear, what in Anna's name are you doing?"

Her short, white locks bouned as she swiftly turned to look at the little old woman. She smiled nervously at the grey haired maid, laughing shakily as she fiddled with her hands. "Heh heh… Hey Ms. Spetto… heh."

Every resident in the castle, from king to messenger, respected Ms. Spetto greatly. She was the oldest of them all yet one of the best at her job. She had been offered a special retirement plan in which, she would stay in the castle by the royals' side in return for everything she's done for them, but she declined, stating that she wanted to continue to help till her deathbed, no wanting to quit her position, especially not before little Lucy, whom she's watched grow up, became queen.

In other words, Lisanna was trapped.

Never in a million years would anyone lie to Ms. Spetto. Once her thin brown raised, Lisanna gave in. "Someone stole Natsu's present for Lucy so now I'm looking for it… him? The devil? Oh whatever it is." Ms. Spetto gasped, "He bought her a puppy?"

"How'd you know?!"

With a knowing chuckle, the elder sighed contently, "The only thing you would refer to as the devil would be an animal, and the only animal Lucy had ever wanted was a white little puppy named Plue. That boy is dense when it comes to formality but he's an observant one." She explained. For such an old woman, she had a good memory of everyone in the castle.

"Strange really, another boy, that red haired one, Dan? He had the same idea. I saw him struggling to keep the puppy calm last night. The puppy was scratching at him nonstop. Strange little fella had an orange nose. Still a cutie though!" Ms. Spetto described adoringly, however, Lisanna was far from engrossed by the pet's so-called adorableness. Instead, she was left wide eyed.

"Dan Straight?" Lisanna asked eagerly. Ms. Spetto nodded once, a soft smile still on her lips as she imagined the cute little puppy, even if he had acted viciously toward the contestant. Within seconds, Lisanna had dashed off, ready to catch Natsu as soon as he left the dining hall.

She just found his puppy-napper.

.oO0Oo.

"Incorrect." Natsu announced smugly. Both Levy and the king were wide-eyed, staring in absolute horror and disbelief. Seeming a little annoyed, the blunette slammed her hands down on the table, rising abruptly in an un-ladylike fashion. The loose orange material tied from the back of her head and around to her forehead swayed and slid down a mere centimeter, threatening to fall. In her brown eyes, he could see the growing anxiety.

Looks like he's already won.

"What do you mean, I'm wrong?!" She in distress, "I call falsehood!" With a smirk, he shook his head, rising from his own seat to further the anticipation and suspense of the challenge for the spectators. He slowly made his way toward the other end of the dining table. Jude, stunned, hadn't thought of scolding his lack of manners or preventing their competition from continuing.

Now in front of the slightly worried girl clad in a casual, almost peasant-like dress in comparison to the others, he tugged on his scarf, revealing the scar on right side of his neck. Looking at it in full view, she could see the obvious details she was missing from behind the white scarf that could've brought victory to her.

The scar was a lot wider and longer than she had assumed. It was much too big to be the result of a close call in a battle with a discriminative soldier or guard and the edges were way too jagged to compare to a vulcan's claw. Searching her memory, the only passage she could recall involving similar scars or markings from her studies was on wyverns.

The little glint in her eye was all he needed. There was no argument or debate to protect her pride because she knew the facts – she was wrong. "Allow me to elucidate," he so proudly said, "There are many creatures I've encountered that you could only read about with maybe an educated assumption of appearance. Though you may deem my soon victory unfair due to Ms. McGarden's human nature, I can assure you that she is familiar with the… _animal_ that inflicted my healing wound."

Levy's pride was hurt, badly, though she wasn't a dishonest competitor or a cheat. Instead of sputtering further, she only nodded, openly confirming her loss and accepting the datum. With a wide grin, he turned on his heel, facing away from her, "You were ten years old, living in Magnolia where the Heartfilia family, namely the current king and queen, had taken you in with full promise of a shelter food and care.

"Your mother had passed and had left you with close friend, Layla Heartfilia, who had a daughter your age with little to no children around her until you came. Since then, you have been a top advisor and subordinate to the royal family, predominantly Lucy." He concluded, not at all out of breath. The room filled with silence as they awaited the blunette's or the royal's response. It wasn't until the shorter bowed her head in defeat.

"You win." She whispered.

As if he didn't already know.

 **Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand done.**

 **11 pages, 3437 words.**

 **This is a longer chapter, half unintentional, half making up for my lacking updates.**

 **TWO MORE WEEKS AND I'M FREE!**

 **I won't be having much work for the next two weeks either so I'll be writing a little faster.**

 **Maybe.**

 **Hopefully.**

 **Thanks for the reviews and support!**

 **Always get so excited when I get one.**

 **They're entertaining to read, I must give you that.**

 **Till next time.**

 **Ja ne!**


	8. Chapter 8 - Stylist of a Demon

**I'm not dead, only on the inside.**

 **My last weeks at school were hectic so I had no time to write.**

 **I haven't been very inspired to write this supr filler chapter.**

 **I literally just made you wait for a filler after so long.**

 **Half of my procrastination came from YouTube.**

 **I am now a part of the Phandom.**

 **On another note, the name I chose "Seireiō", is how they pronounce Celestial Spirit King in the anime.**

 **According to the Fairy Tail Wiki.**

 **I don't own Fairy Tail.**

 **Anyway,**

 **Trials of a Demon**

 **Chapter 8 – Stylist of a Demon**

.oO0Oo.

* _No intro with slight change today! Mainly because I'm trying to rush finish this chapter before the last week of school.*_

.oO0Oo.

"Mother, where are we going?"

Layla excitedly pulled her daughter through the hallways, sparing only short greetings to the servants they passed. "To the same place I went when I became a royal." Her mother replied. Unsatisfied, Lucy huffed in slight annoyance but let herself be dragged along nevertheless. She held up her skirt with her free hand, desperately trying not to trip while wondering how her mother was managing such quick movements in heels.

"That explains _everything_." The younger blonde drawled, rolling her eyes. She quickly caught herself before she slipped, stumbling clumsily, yet her mother didn't stop for one second. "Are you presentable for the public?" Layla asked suddenly. Confused, she nodded slowly, unsure of where this was going.

"Good." The older stated, "We're going to Magnolia."

.oO0Oo.

"What do you mean you _declined?!_ " The white haired maiden shouted impolitely. The demon covered his ears, hissing in pain. "Girls scream a lot." He stated, not knowing how easily a girl can be offended when already aggravated. She scowled at him angrily as he winced, "How _idiotic_ and _crazed_ are you?! Why would you say no?!"

He shrugged nonchalantly, "It was unfair."

In that single moment, she had wished for so many terrible things to happen to that boy. "Unfair? _Unfair_?! How was it unfair?!" She shouted, pausing for breath, "You had an opportunity handed over on a silver platter and you f-"

Before another word could leave her mouth, his hand clamped over it. "No, no more screaming." He demanded, "And no cussing, this is a clean fanfiction so far." She nodded, taking a deep breath once he released her. "Why?" Was all she asked, once again earning a carefree shrug, "She didn't have a chance, it was unfair."

She opened her moth, prepared to scold him for hours straight but he held up his pointer finger, warning her. With a pout, she continued _calmly_ , "She agreed to the deal and she lost. You won that day with Lucy fair and square." He sighed, maybe his logic and hers just didn't match. "I'm a demon, Lisanna, I have a natural advantage. I know where she stands with the royal family, had it been anyone other than myself, she would've been able to get that reward easily. Unfortunately, the all mighty racist king hates my guts and would've forbid my succession. Either way, I wouldn't have gotten my prize. This way, at least the girl keeps her job."

As if she had just discovered new land, Lisanna stared in amazement, "You're smarter than I took you for." He grinned his usual grin, "I was born to surprise." They shared a lighthearted laugh, and for the first time that day, they both felt relaxed and comfortable. Everything was right.

No, not everything.

"Plue." Lisanna suddenly remembered, she had been caught up in Natsu's not-so-idiotic idiocy that it had slipped her mind. At the sound of the puppy's name, Natsu perked up, a grin turned into a serious expression. "I know who has him."

He seemed to visibly relax, but the fire in his eyes was still equally intimidating. She knew, that even if they knew who had taken Plue, even if they knew where he was, they couldn't just take him back. With no proof or evidence, Plue would have to remain in Dan's captivity until they could sort it out. "We need a plan, and a backup." He stated. Something about the sudden liveliness in her eyes was startling.

"We'll need help."

.oO0Oo.

"Mother, where are we?" Lucy asked. She honestly had no clue, but she wasn't complaining. She was excited enough to visit Magnolia, but when they took an odd turn out of the city and into a suburban area. "We're visiting an old friend of mine." Her mother answered. Lucy smiled brightly, Layla was so excited, she knew there was nothing to worry about. However, when her mother knocked on the old wooden door of the strange home on the top of a hill, her stomach flipped. Her mother was always a poised and elegant woman, the area was so unlike her, but somehow fitting.

"Seireiō!" The older blonde cheered as the door swung open. Lucy didn't know whether to laugh or be intimidated by the broad and tall old man with the comical mustache that appeared to fall from his nostrils. He looked unimpressed, but perhaps it was his resting face. By the time he recognized her mother, he was all smiles.

"Layla?" She nodded eagerly as she enveloped the man with a hug. He wobbled, but caught her, laughing dryly due to his old age. Her mother looked like a young girl with her father. If this was her grandfather, Lucy was offended by the lack of acknowledgement. AS if he read her mind, his eyes suddenly flickered to her direction, widening at the sight. "Is this… Are you, Lucy?" He asked in a gentle tone. The addressed girl nodded slowly and slightly awkwardly. Within a second, she too, was caught in a bone crushing hug.

"Oh my, Layla, she's just like you!" He stated, a line she most definitely heard before, only throughout her whole life. "Lucy, this is Seireiō, he used to work at the castle when I was a little girl. May we come in?" After he shook the princess' hand, he nodded, "Of course! The kids would love to see you."

She loved kids. There weren't many around the castle, if any at all, she never got to see them. The younger servants usually worked out of the royals' sight. She lived for the parties and the balls and the visitors, because there was always a family with a toddler or a baby that she would openly offer to take care of after properly greeting all guests. Children were always drawn to her as well. She could make any crying baby laugh.

However, when she was told that there were kids, this wasn't what she had in mind.

The youngest of them all were the twins around ten to twelve years old. Half of them were older than herself. There seemed to be thirteen of them. Even if they weren't young kids, she was still happy to meet someone around her age aside from Levy and the suitors. "Twelve, we've got guests!" Seireiō called out as the group all turned to stare at the doorway. A blue haired woman in a blue-green bikini top and maxi skirt caught her eye as she scoffed and turned back around to face a man to her left.

The joy and enlightenment of new peers was quickly fading as some of them exchanged looks before shooting a weird glace directly at her. Nevertheless, she waved while beaming brightly. "Hello, pleased to-"

"Is this the princess?" A pinkette suddenly interrupted, turning to the old man with emotionless eyes. He nodded enthusiastically as Lucy recovered from slight shock and offense. The same woman from before looked her over from head to toe before laughing snootily, "There are _fifteen_ men fighting over her?"

Shocked, not used to being insulted in such a way, she stood there speechless. Criticism and hatred was a common event, as you can't win over everyone, but she has never once been so boldly affronted about her appearance. Most defined her as attractive, and so she found pride in her looks.

"Don't mind Aquarius," Seireiō said kindly, "She isn't fond of higher ups, or anyone new really, but she's actually a real softy." She snorted, finding it hard to believe, but wore a smile anyway, "There's a little sensitivity and good in everyone, so I trust your word." Resting a hand on her shoulder, her grinned brightly, leaning in to whisper a small remark, "Just wait till you see her with her boyfriend, she's a completely different person."

That she was. Cuddled into the side of the red haired, tan man, the once cold and ruthless woman was a sputtering mess of adoration as she chanted compliments and sickening nicknames. From her view, he seemed much less interested, but she could tell that he still held feeling for her, just not as passionate.

Layla, still dazed in happiness, exclaimed her reasoning, "You know our purpose of being here, don't you?" In this state, she was truly an image of an awestruck child, perhaps already knowing that she got exactly what she wished for on her birthday. He too, was smiling, but it faltered, just a small bit. "Yes, of course. I told them beforehand."

The group seemed to stare oddly at her. She was uncomfortable, uneasy. It was like being trapped in an hour long meeting with allies about battle strategies in which she had no true say or knowledge and thus, she was unfit for the room. The pinkette, dressed as a maid, was the first to break the silence and approach her, bowing in respect. "It is an honour to serve you, Princess." She recited with little expression.

One by one, each of them stepped toward her, bowing and repeating the same line or a sentence similar to it. Some, like the blue haired woman, were hesitant, as others did so with ease, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, a practiced action. "Mother, what is going on?" Lucy asked. Layla only smiled on.

"Meet your personal servants."

.oO0Oo.

"Cancer?" The blonde tilted her head in confusion, "like the astrological zodiac?" The man nodded. He wore a vertical striped, blue button up, collared shirt and an unnecessary pair of shades. "You're the first to guess that, Princess, most think I'm like the illness, baby." He grinned, voice low and a little raspy. She decided to ignore the nickname 'baby' he had given.

Seireiō proudly put a hand on the man's shoulder, "Cancer is a professional hair stylist. You can rely on him for any style within minutes." He boasted, "Virgo here, is an excellent helper from cleaning to cooking, but she's also great with clothing. She can find you any unique and trendy dress that'll just stun all of the guests at the ball."

"If you need help with smooth talking of any sort," he said slyly, "Loke's your guy!" The laugh that followed after bellowed strongly and loudly. "Trust me, these kids are the best of the best."

She didn't doubt it. Even though they didn't seem to fancy her, she expected great outcome. Maybe it was her mother's excitement or the connection between them and this old man who was so fond of them, but she didn't want anyone other than these thirteen.

"Alright, you're all hired."

 **Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand done.**

 **BORING CHAPTER I KNOW.**

 **BUT GUESS WHAT.**

 **THE BALL IS NEXT!**

 **Finally.**

 **Things can finally escalate.**

 **Till next time,**

 **Ja ne.**


	9. Chapter 9 - Ball of a Demon

**Attention please.**

 **I would like to personally welcome you to the long awaited chapter 9.**

 **Find your fanciest clothing and enjoy the story because the ball is finally here and will completely occupy the next few chapters.**

 **Yes, the ball is a multi-chapter event.**

 **I do not own Fairy Tail, but we all love it, now don't we?**

 **Anyways,**

 **Trials of a Demon**

 **Chapter 9 – Ball of a Demon**

.oO0Oo.

A _beautiful_ girl with a _shining_ crown and a _gorgeous_ dress hummed a _quiet_ tune as her _stunning_ heels crossed the _magnificent_ carpet which adorned the _striking_ hallway in a _breathtaking_ castle part of a _wonderful_ country, _with two others._

.oO0Oo.

"Will this work?" Natsu asked. He was not normally one to second guess a plan, or use a plan, but a lot was on the line here. Lisanna looked equally as nervous, she too had put herself at risk for the sake of that puppy and Natsu's spot in the trials. Worst case scenario, she gets fired and he gets eliminated.

"It _will_ work. Ms. Spetto is on her way to the ball room as we speak. Everyone else is in the foyer waiting for the royal family." She tried to comfort his worries, but she couldn't relax herself to begin with. He paced the room nervously. This was their only chance, he knew the king would never believe him if he accused Dan, even if he had a witness, Jude would take it as a chance to eliminate him on the spot, in front of the entire crowd. It would only worsen the reputation of demon kind.

"Let's get that tie on." Lisanna stated. She had noticed that he was sloppy when it came to details like this a while ago, leading to her tying it for him. She carefully pulled the gold fabric in a loop, "You're not getting eliminated." She stated, finishing her work before laying her hands on his chest and straightening his tie, "I won't let that happen."

In that moment, she looked him directly in the eye. If she had to put off her doubts for his sake, then she would. He instinctively just looked back, staying quiet. They were absolutely silent, direct eye contact as Lisanna's hands stayed on his chest. "We can do this." She whispered, voice going soft and eyes darting to different areas of his face. She couldn't help but think that it felt right, just staying there with him.

Her eyes slowly began to close, but before anything could happen, he grinned, pulling her into an embrace, short and quick. He released her, holding her arm's length apart, "Thanks, Lis." Something inside her cracked. If he hadn't moved, she wasn't sure what she would've done, and she didn't know whether she was thankful or annoyed by his sudden action.

"You should go." She said, her voice no longer as energetic as she had hoped. It was no longer filled with worry, but it wasn't filled with anything positive either. He nodded, plastering his signature smirk on his face. With one final glance at the mirror, he headed out.

And she just stayed there.

.oO0Oo.

"They've done well, haven't they?" Layla whispered as they made their way through the hall. Lucy was lost in her thoughts, nervousness clouding her senses. It's truly been a while since their last ball, not to mention, this one was all about her. "Pardon?" She muttered, still not looking her mother in the eye. She fiddled with her fingers, a habit she developed after she was scolded for fiddling with her necklaces, an action more obvious since you couldn't easily hide her neck behind a podium during a speech.

The queen let out a soft giggle, "Cancer and Virgo." She elucidated. "Ah, uh, yes, they have." Lucy answered, silently scolding herself for getting distracted. "Relax dear, you'll be fine," Layla commented, "If anything, just excuse yourself to go talk to your suitors. You haven't had much time with them lately."

She nodded, agreeing. In all honesty, she missed the conversations at meals and in the halls, they were relaxing and sometimes casual. She had been wishing for one for a while, a nice escape from her piling duties. She had a lot of catching up to do.

They were fast approaching the grand staircase, the same flight of stairs she had met the boys on for the first time. All the nerves from that day seemed to return to her, however, they were more intense. Not only were her fourteen remaining boys waiting for her arrival, but an army of important figure heads from within and outside of Fiore.

Her father was already waiting, hidden behind a wall so that they can all make a synchronized appearance. Upon spotting the two woman, he whispered to a servant who rushed down the flight, informing the announcer of their arrival.

And so, the ball began.

.oO0Oo.

Looking around, the suitors were dressed in a similar style, the classic suit, some in different colours. Clad in his own black, sleek suit with a white dress shirt, he decided to take a walk around, maybe find Gray or someone to talk to. Being announced in front of the crowd along with the rest of the boys had to be one of the strangest experiences he had ever went through. He had felt all of the eyes on him, and he wanted nothing more than to avoid the opinions of the rich guests around him.

"Attention!" A voice shouted. He instantly turned toward the sound. Perched on the side of a step stood the announcer. He stood tall and confident in front of the crowd as everyone fell into silence. Holding up a microphone, he opened his mouth to welcome the next guests. Since he wasn't holding a slip of paper indicating any names, it had to have been the last guests, and Natsu knew exactly who they were.

"All hail, King Jude and Queen Layla." The man called. Every guest bowed, it was a miracle that no one bumped heads or any body part considering the number of people there were. Said royals turned the corner, arms linked as they descended the steps, waving elegantly to the guests. They weren't the reason everyone was here though. No, today, they wanted her.

"And our future queen, Princess Lucy."

As expected, she looked stunning sporting her golden ball gown. Sparkles decorated the fabric like stars as larger jewels and gems were embroidered into the torso, lining the sweetheart neckline and the waistband. Her hair was tied into an elegant bun with a dazzling hairpiece. She wore a smile, not a genuine one, he could the worry in her eyes. This was just as nerve wrecking for her as it was for everyone else.

She made her way carefully down the marble steps, making sure she wouldn't trip. Like her parents, she waved. A suitor, Eve Tearm specifically, jogged up the stairs, lending a hand to the princess. She politely took his offering, allowing him to walk her down the staircase as every other boy cursed themselves for not thinking of that. Like a true gentleman, he linked his arm with hers and smiled by her side. Natsu heard someone state that they looked like the king and queen as they moved in sync, all he could think of was how short Eve was in comparison to Lucy in her heels.

He willed himself not to chuckle.

They met the king and queen at the bottom step, Eve respectively joining the rest of the guests once again. "Tonight is a celebration, for my dearest daughter Lucy." Jude had proclaimed, a proud smile on his face as he wrapped an arm around his daughter, gently pulling her a bit further forward to display her in front of the crowd. "Joining us today, are the fourteen remaining contestants of the seventy-seventh trials. I'm sure you have been informed about the conditions of tonight's ball. This is indeed a trial, so please, take time to converse with the suitors, if you would. Your words decide their fate."

Murmurs broke out. With the whole Plue ordeal, he had almost forgotten about the second half of the trial – impressing the guests. The air suddenly became suffocating as he realized that he hadn't made any effort to talk to the higher ups. He swore under his breath. Only then did he begin to analyze his disadvantages. What royal guest would want to get involved with a demon?

"Without further ado, I welcome you to our home. Let us all move to the ball room!" Lucy intervened, completely shattering the intense and serious atmosphere with a lighthearted and sweet voice. She made eye contact with a guard for a brief second. In turn, he signalled to his partner, and together they began to lead the group toward their destination.

.oO0Oo.

No matter how many times you've been to a Heartfilia ball, you could never be blasé. Lucy, having been to every single one since birth, could testify for that. In weeks, the castle's event administration team, with the help of hired professionals, had transformed the ball room once again, matching her desired celestial theme.

Astrology was a passion of hers, and so, her father and mother only hired the best to create her own heaven. The ceiling itself was like a perfected projection of the night sky, painted in vivid detail with exact constellations. She identified several of them with excitement as the image moved and rotated to display different patterns. She gasped as a golden constellation glided into view. It was different purely for effect, and she knew why.

It was an astrological zodiac.

Aquarius to be exact.

Aside from the starry night sky, the normally red curtains were switched with dark blue ones, hanging off of golden rods, matching the theme excellently. The lights were dimmed, but not too much that it was difficult to see, creating the illusion that they were outside under the night sky.

It was gorgeous.

However, the décor was not the only astounding thing in the room.

If anyone thought she looked beautiful on the steps, she was breathtaking in the room. It came to everyone's attention, just why she was clad in gold, including Natsu's. The sparkles on her dress didn't symbolize the stars, _she_ was a star upon the billions, and she stood out among them all.

They all filled the space, classical music playing in the background, softly as it was not yet time to dance. Servants crossed the room holding trays of drinks and small pastries, one passing by Natsu, offering him a champagne glass of bright green liquid. He wasn't too fond of any drinks of that colour, in fact, it looked as though it would kill him.

"It's absinthe, not poison, Mr. Dragneel." A voice said behind him. It was feminine and smooth, calming in a sense. He turned to greet the stranger, only to be met with familiar clear blue eyes, complimented with silver-white hair and a welcoming smile.

However, he didn't know this woman.

Unlike his snow haired and blue eyed maid, her hair reached her waist in soft waves rather than falling in a straight line at her shoulders. Their facial features were strikingly similar, almost identical, though hers were more matured and defined, making it evident that she was indeed older. Strangely enough, even their scents were alike.

He stared at her skeptically just as he stared at the offered drink, a brow raised ever so slightly as he sorted out his thoughts. "Alcohol." She continued, "It's a kind of alcohol." He shook his head, turning back around and grabbing a glass while thanking the servant politely. The woman seemed to already have a glass.

"Mirajane Strauss," She introduced herself, "Substitute representative for Fairy Tail Corporation." He reached out to shake her extended hand, "Natsu Dragneel," He replied, "but you already knew that, I see." She nodded in confirmation. In attempt to seem mature and refined, he took a controlled sip from his glass, the green liquid pouring down his throat as he offered a smile.

Big mistake.

He coughed once as a sudden burn built up in his throat. He clutched his neck, desperately trying to ease the pain. The woman didn't seem startled or worried, but instead let out a knowing giggle. She dug into her purse, pulling out a small bottle of dark liquid. It was cola by the smell of it. He snatched it once she held it out for him to take, chugging the contents until only a drop remained. He wasn't used to being burned, living in hell as your father is literally a fire demon, but this was different from any old sunburn or hot pan on the stove. It burned internally and painfully, the chaser helping drastically. "First time drinking?" She asked. He nodded embarrassed, panting as the burn was relieved.

Nice one, Dragneel.

However, she didn't seem at all displeased. In fact, she seemed amused by him and he couldn't be more thankful that she was the only one to notice as far as he was aware. He had a feeling that if it had been someone else, he would receive something closer to a scowl rather than the friendly smile the woman offered him. Well, maybe Lucy would've laughed too.

"I'm fine." He reassured both her and himself. At that moment, he looked at her in a little more detail. If there was anything she lacked, it was flaws, and he noticed that shortly after a proper once over. He wasn't oblivious to a woman's appeal, and he could truthfully say that she was indeed beautiful. Though she was obviously older than him, she still had a young glow with flawless skin, not even a hint of a wrinkle to be seen. He could've sworn he'd seen her in a surface side (human, in other words) magazine before. Maybe on the cover of one, easy to see without actually owning an issue.

"Good, it would be difficult to discuss business matters if you were dead, now wouldn't it?" She said smoothly. He could only process her sentence. He could've been blunt and informal, giving a simple "What?" which was his first instinct. The hours upon hours of lessons with Lisanna wouldn't go to waste now, and so, he held onto his senses and replied properly. "I can't say that I'm not interested in what you have to say."

She seemed quite shocked by his wording, not really expecting a formal response, rather disappointing in a way. Though she expected it was a result of the pressure due to the trial. "The CEO of Fairy Tail may have taken an interest in you after the reveal of the contestants." Mirajane began, "He's asked me to have a chat with you, and if I see you fit, propose a deal that may also intrigue you."

"What do you have to offer, may I ask?" She smiled in a way it could also be described as a smirk, "You are the only suitor without a proper sponsor. I take it, there really aren't many big businesses where you are from, not big enough to interact with the trials." He nodded in confirmation that she didn't really need. "We're already sponsoring several suitors, mainly those from Magnolia, but, if you are to meet our expectations, you may be included."

A sponsor.

It was true, he didn't have one, but everyone else did. Gray came from Fairy Tail, even Bee, Floppy Hat, and One-Eye were sponsored by Sabertooth. Him? He was just sent up from literal hell with no back up or public support. And Fairy Tail was _Fairy Tail_. It was a big shot company, huge to the point word could spread way under. This could be a game changer for him, and maybe get some human fan base going.

Sponsors meant advertisements and persuasion done for him. An outside assistance that could win over the hearts of the people. It meant that he was actually making an impression. If he was with Fairy Tail, he would have done more than a demon could imagine above ground.

An excited and determined grin found its way onto his face, "How can I impress you?" He asked eagerly. She was glad to know he was interested, if he had rejected the proposal, many would be disappointed. She never questioned her boss' decisions, only trusted them.

And he really wanted to see what Natsu's got.

 **Aaaaaaaaaaaand done.**

 **The ball has finally begun, as it will last a number of chapters.**

 **Probs like three.**

 **MIRAJANE IS ONE OF MY FAVES AND NEVER FORGET HER.**

 **A LOT WILL CENTER AROUND HER, A CONTESTANT, AND LISANNA.**

 **Not as a main point, but on the sidelines, I'll have something going on away from Natsu.**

 **Other than that, I'm sorry to both Nalu and Nali shippers.**

 **I'm a full-fledged Nalu shipper and I know some fellow shippers may be irritated by the Nali scenes.**

 **And Nali shippers, sorry to crush your dreams but you won't be happy with the ending of this story.**

 **Though there will be drama.**

 **Drama everywhere.**

 **So stay tuned.**

 **Till next time.**

 **Ja Ne!**


End file.
